The  One-Room  Country  Schools 

in  Illinois 


The  School  House — 

Heating. 

Lighting. 

Ventilation. 

Equipment. 

Grounds. 

Suggestions  to  Boards  of  Directors. 
Organization. 


1379 
PcB-28 
1909 
c.  3 


PUBLISHED  BY 

The  Department  of  Public  Instruction. 

FRANCIS  <5r.  BLAIR,  Superintendent. 

U.  J.  HOFFMAN,  Assistant. 

Department  of  Country  Schools. 


SPRINGFIELD: 

Illinois  State  Journal  Co.,  State  Printers 

1909 


* 


ILLINOIS  STATE  LIBRARY 


No . r 

Alcove  No . . . 

Division  . 

Shelf  No . 


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without  reporting  the  same  to  the  Librarian  or  assistan  , 
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in  be  made  except  by  the  Librarian  or  assistant. 

books  of  the  Library  wtll  return  the 

same  to  the  Librarian  or  assistant.  A  ROSE. 

Secretary  of  State  and  ex-officio  State  Librarian. 


The  One -Room  Country  Schools 


The  School  House — 

Heating. 

Lighting. 

Ventilation. 

Equipment- 

Grounds. 

Suggestions  to  Boards  of  Directors. 


PUBLISHED  BY 

The  Department  of  Public  Instruction. 

FRANCIS  G.  BLAIR,  Superintendent. 


U.  J.  HOFFMAN,  Assistant. 


Department  of  Country  Schools.  \ 1 1  1 5 

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SPRINGFIELD,  ILL, 
Phillips  Bros.,  State  Printers. 

1908. 


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CIRCULAR  28. 


Foreword. 

Although  Illinois  is  making  marvelous  growth  in  manufacturing 
and  mining,  agriculture  is  and  will  continue  to  be  one  of  our  greatest 
industries.  We  have  our  great  centers  of  commerce  and  manufactur¬ 
ing,  but  are  still  very  largely  a  State  of  farms,  a  commonwealth  of 
rural  communities.  This  large  rural  population  affects  the  character 
and  form  of  our  institutional  life.  This  is  especially  true  of  the 
great  institution — the  common  school.  To  meet  the  needs  of  these 
comparatively  sparsely  populated  farming  communities,  the  single¬ 
room  school  house  came  into  existence  and,  notwithstanding  the  con¬ 
tinued  establishment  and  growth  of  villages  and  cities,  notwithstand¬ 
ing  the  strong  tendency  towards  the  consolidation  of  separate  dis¬ 
tricts,  the  single-room  school  will  continue  to  be  an  important  part  of 
the  common  school  system  of  Illinois.  Last  year  307,111  children 
attended  school  in  the  10,638  single-room  school  houses  of  Illinois. 

It  is  with  a  view  towards  improving  these  district  schools  that  this 
bulletin  is  issued.  It  has  been  prepared  by  Mr.  U.  J.  Hoffman,  the 
State  supervisor  of  country  schools.  I  am  under  great  obligations  to 
Mr.  W.  C.  Zimmerman,  State  Architect,  who  has  taken  such  a  keen 
interest  in  the  matter  and  given  much  of  his  valuable  time  to  the 
preparation  of  the  plans  and  specifications  of  what  is,  perhaps,  the 
most  artistic  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  most  useful  single-room 
school  building  ever  offered  to  the  directors  of  the  country  schools. 

I  am  sure  that  the  suggestions  contained  herein  will  be  of  great 
service  to  the  country  schools  and  country  school  children. 

F.  G.  Blair, 

Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction. 

Springfield,  Illinois,  June  26,  1908. 


5 


THE  ONE-ROOM  COUNTRY  SCHOOL. 


Introduction. 

ADVANTAGES  AND  NEEDS  OF  THE  COUNTRY  SCHOOL. 

The  purposes  of  the  public  school  is  to  do  an  important  work  in 
the  proper  bringing  up  of  children  which  cannot  be  as  well  done  in 
the  home. 

The  ability  to  read,  write,  and  figure  is  considered  essential  for 
every  one  who  wishes  to  get  on  in  the  life  of  today. 

But  much  more  than  this  is  necessary.  A  man  to  adjust  himself  to 
the  life  of  today  must  know  a  good  deal  about  the  country  in  which 
he  lives  and  about  the  world.  He  should  understand  the  workings  of 
the  government  under  which  he  lives  and  of  which  he  is  a  part.  He 
should  be  familiar  with  the  ways  of  doing  business;  for  even  in  the 
simplest  occupations  he  must  work  with  others.  He  must  learn  to 
apply  his  mind  to  the  solution  of  problems,  must  form  habits  of  indus¬ 
try  and  cooperate  with  others.  He  must  be  trained  to  behave  himself 
properly  in  a  civilized  community. 

All  these  things  are  necessary  to  enable  him  to  earn  a  livelihood. 
But  more  than  a  mere  living  is  essential.  His  tastes  should  be  culti¬ 
vated  so  that  he  may  occupy  his  leisure  hours  in  the  reading  of  books, 
and  in  the  study  of  those  things  which  advance  him  in  serviceableness 
to  others,  which  make  life  worth  living. 

The  school  attempts  to  place  children  in  possession,  as  early  and  as 
quickly  as  possible,  of  the  recorded  experience  of  the  race,  that  the 
new  generation  may  begin  life’s  work  where  the  former  left  ofif. 

School  life  is  a  large  and  important  part  of  the  life  of  children,  and 
it  is  or  should  be  real  life.  The  more  wholesome  and  complete  it  is 
the  better  will  it  prepare  the  children  for  successful  living  in  maturity. 
Did  we  all  feel  the  truth  of  this  as  we  should,  we  would  not  go  so 
far  wrong  in  deciding  what  is  good,  indififerent  or  bad  in  the  conduct 
of  the  school. 

While  the  life  of  children  should  be  under  wholesome  direction,  it 
should  be  free,  simple,  natural,  advancing  in  helpfulness,  instead  of 
constrained,  complex,  artificial  and  dependent.  Conditions  in  the 
country  still  are  most  favorable  to  such  a  life  for  childhood.  The 
country  school  should  utilize  all  the  favorable  conditions  of  country 
life,  and  not  try  merely  to  imitate  the  city  schools.  The  country  school 
may  be,  and  should  be,  the  best  school  in  the  world. 


6 


THINGS  MOST  NEEDED  TODAY. 

Better  School  Houses — Improvement  in  country  school  houses  has 
not  kept  up  with  that  in  the  homes  of  the  children.  Most  of  them 
were  built  fifty  years  ago,  and  at  that  time  were  as  comfortable  as 
the  house  from  which  the  children  came.  They  have  stood  the  wear 
of  a  half-century,  and  while  repairs  were  made  that  kept  the  rain  out 
the  houses  have  not  been  improved.  When  new  ones  were  built,  too 
often  they  were  modeled  after  the  old — a  door,  windows  on  all  or 
opposite  sides,  no  cloak  rooms,  and  the  stove  in  the  middle  of  the 
room,  the  small  seats  in  front  of  the  larger  ones.  To  provide  a  place 
to  sit,  to  keep  dry  and  warm,  seems  to  have  been  the  only  purpose. 

Better  School  Grounds — In  too  many  cases  no  attention  has  been 
given  to  the  grounds.  They  are  treeless,  unsightly  and  cheerless. 
Where  school  directors  took  thought  years  ago,  the  grounds  about 
the  school  houses,  like  the  country  homes,  are  not  only  beautiful,  they 
are  serviceable  in  the  proper  bringing  up  of  children. 

Heating  and  Ventilation — In  too  many  cases  the  house  is  heated  by 
a  big  stove  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  where  it  can  do  the  most  harm. 
The  children’s  heads  are  hot  and  their  feet  are  cold.  No  provision 
at  all  is  made  for  ventilation.  The  windows  cannot  be  lowered  from 
the  top  or  raised  from  below.  And  where  this  can  be  done  the  chil¬ 
dren’s  health  is  endangered  by  cold  draughts  striking  their  bodies. 
Foul  air  is  not  only  injurious  to  health,  it  makes  good  work  and 
conduct  difficult. 

Better  Furniture  and  Supplies — In  many  schools  double  desks  still 
do  service.  These  are  a  great  disadvantage  to  the  pupil  and  double  the 
teacher’s  difficulty  in  maintaining  the  necessary  order  and  study.  The 
small  seats  are  placed  in  front  of  the  larger  ones,  requiring  some  of 
the  pupils  to  sit  in  seats  too  high  and  use  desks  that  are  too  low. 
Often  no  small  seats  at  all  are  provided  for  the  little  ones.  In  many 
schools  there  are  not  the  necessary  supplies,  but  instead  much  expen¬ 
sive  and  useless  apparatus  purchased  of  shrewd,  persuasive  agents. 

These  are  some  of  the  things  that  keep  the  country  school  from 
being  the  best  school.  Are  the  fatal?  I  think  not.  What  is  the 
remedy?  If  all  interested  in  the  country  schools  will  do  their  part 
these  hindrances  can  be  removed.  It  is  hoped  that  the  following 
suggestions  may  aid  in  their  removal. 


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7 


CHAPTER  I. 


The  Country  School  House. 

The  country  school  house  should  at  least  be  comfortable.  This  is 
necessary  to  preserve  the  health  of  the  children  and  the  teacher;  good 
school  work  cannot  be  done  in  discomfort.  When  a  house  is  built  it 
may  as  well  be  made  comfortable  and  convenient,  well  fitted  to  serve 
its  purpose,  which  is  to  have  a  good  school.  If  the  cost  is  a  little  more 
it  will  still  be  better  economy  to  spend  the  little  more  than  to  save  it 
and  fail  to  have  a  good  school.  The  plan  of  the  house  is  an  important 
matter.  A  good  plan  can  be  made  only  by  one  who  knows  how  to 
arrange  a  house  to  best  serve  its  purpose.  The  essentials  are  few 
and  may  be  had  by  any  district  that  is  able  to  build  a  house  or  improve 
an  old  one. 

The  School  Room — The  school  room  should  be  conveniently 
arranged,  well  lighted  in  such  a  way  as  not  to  injure  the  sight  of  the 
children,  comfortably  warmed  and  ventilated.  It  should  be  neat  and 
home-like  and  easily  kept  clean. 

The  Vestibule — The  entrance  should  not  be  directly  from  the  out¬ 
side.  But  a  vestibule  that  serves  also  as  a  cloak  room  for  both  boys 
and  girls  is  a  nuisance.  It  is  a  prolific  source  of  disorder  and  mis¬ 
conduct,  a  great  drain  on  the  teacher’s  strength,  and  a  destroyer  of  the 
good  temper  and  conduct  of  the  children.  The  vestibule  should  be 
just  large  enough  to  permit  the  easy  entrance  of  the  children  but  not 
large  enough  for  a  number  to  congregate  to  play  or  scuffle. 

Separate  Coat  Rooms — Separate  coat  rooms  are  essential  and  their 
advantages  are  many.  Girls  need  a  place  where  they  may  arrange 
their  clothing  or  toilet  with  no  danger  of  being  disturbed. 

A  Fuel  Room — The  fuel  room  should  be  connected  with  the  school 
room,  and  the  doors  should  be  near  the  heater  that  fuel  may  be  taken 
directly  from  it  and  placed  in  the  heater.  It  must  have  a  solid  floor 
and  be  well  boarded  up  to  keep  out  the  dust.  Building  paper  should 
be  placed  back  of  the  boards.  Teachers  are  often  obliged  to  make 
their  own  fires.  It  is  a  great  hardship  upon  them  when  the  fuel  has 
to  be  carried  by  them  from  a  shed  in  the  yard.  Kindling  is  usually 
damp  and  often  wet.  If  the  fuel  is  easily  gotten  at,  the  fire  is  attended 
to  as  soon  as  discomfort  is  felt.  This  does  away  with  the  unsightly 
shed,  usually  in  the  front  yard,  and  the  expense  is  less. 

A  Library  and  Study — The  school  room  only  is  more  essential  than 
the  library  and  study.  This  little  room  is  not  simply  a  convenience. 
It  can  be  made  most  serviceable  in  the  regular  school  work.  It  should 
contain  a  book  case  built  into  the  wall  and  be  provided  with  a  good 
lock.  Other  shelves  can  also,  be  built  into  the  wall  where  apparatus 


8 


and  supplies  can  be  stored.  When  the  house  is  used  for  public  meet¬ 
ings  the  children’s  books  can  be  stored,  and  be  perfectly  safe  from 
molestation.  It  should  contain  a  bench,  which  can  readily  be  trans¬ 
formed  into  a  couch,  should  a  sick  child  need  to  lie  down.  It  should 
contain  a  table  at  which  pupils  can  work.  Often  the  older  pupils 
may  be  sent  to  this  room  to  prepare  their  work  and  be  free  to  communi¬ 
cate  while  at  work.  Frequently  the  little  ones  may  be  given  work  that 
they  can  do  best  where  they  have  freedom.  It  may  be  made  a  source 
of  self  control,  industry  and  interest,  for  the  privilege  of  going  to  the 
room  may  be  made  a  reward  for  good  behavior  and  studiousness. 

The  doors  to  the  coat  rooms  and  library  should  be  in  plain  view  of 
the  teacher  at  all  times.  The  play  grounds  should  also  be  in  plain 
view  of  the  teacher.  It  will  greatly  lighten  the  labor  of  control  in 
coming  arid  going,  and  on  the  play  ground. 

PLANS  AND  SPECIFICATIONS. 

In  the  Illinois  district  school  the  architect  has  provided  all  the 
essentials  already  mentioned  and  has  given  us  the  plan  of  a  house 
which  is  at  the  same  time  inexpensive,  convenient  and  beautiful. 

The  specifications  are  so  clear  that  contractors  may  make  estimates 
and  bid  intelligently.  The  house  is  32  by  33/4  feet. 


Key. 

C. -War pi  Aift  HeAre.^. 

t)  ~  Fr«h  A'*  Dvc t. 


PIG.  4.  HEATER  AND  VENTILATOR. 

This  cut  illustrates  a  method  of  heating  and  ventilation.  The  heater  is  a  small 
furnace  in  the  corner  of  the  room.  The  heated  air  rises,  but  does  not  pass  through 
pipes.  The  air  is  admitted  from  the  outside  and  can  also  be  admitted  from  the  inside. 
The  chimney  contains  an  iron  smoke  flue  into  which  the  stove  pipe  is  fitted,  the 
smoke  passing  out  at  G.  The  foul  air  of  the  room  enters  the  chimney  near  the  floor 
and  being  heated  by  the  iron  smoke  flue  passes  out  at  the  top. 


* 


9 

The  school  room  is  23  by  31  feet,  inside  measurement.  The  library 
and  study  8  by  9  feet,  the  girls’  coat  room  4 ^  by  9  feet,  the  boys’  coat 
room  6  by  9  feet,  and  the  fuel  room  6  by  9  feet.  The  height  of  the 
room  is  13  feet. 

HEATING  AND  VENTILATING. 

This  house  is  to  be  heated  with  a  regular  school  heater.  This  is  a 
small  hot  air  furnace  in  the  corner  of  the  room.  The  cost  is  but  little 
more  than  a  good  stove.  There  is  a  galvanized  iron  conduit  to  convey 
the  air  from  the  outside  through  the  wall  and  floor  under  the  furnace. 

This  is  provided  with  a  damper  which  will  close  the  conduit  and  keep 
out  the  outside  air  when  desired.  Openings  are  provided  in  the 
jacket  of  the  furnace  close  to  the  floor  that  the  air  may  be  taken  from 
the  inside  of  the  house  and  the  room  more  quickly  heated  in  the 
morning.  These  should  be  closed  and  the  damper  opened,  taking  in 
the  outside  air,  as  soon  as<the  house  is  warm  and  the  school  assembled. 

The  Smith  System  op  Heating  and  Ventilation. 


(Submitted  by  the  Smith  System  Co.,  Indianapolis,  Indiana.) 

This  system  of  heating  brings  in  fresh  air  from  the  outside  and  removes  the  foul 
air.  It  does  not  require  a  double  chimney  but  the  smoke  flue  must  be  8  by  12  inches, 
or  12  by  12  inches  in  the  clear,  depending  upon  the  size  of  the  room. 

The  chimney  contains  two  flues.  One  is  for  smoke  and  the  other  for 
foul  air  to  pass  from  the  room.  The  opening  to  the  foul  air  flue  must 
be  at  the  floor.  The  foul-air  duct  is  8  by  20  inches  and  the  smoke  flue 
8  by  12  inches.  These  dimensions  are  necessary  and  must  not  be 
changed.  When  the  partition  between  the  two  flues  becomes  heated 
the  air  in  the  foul-air  flue  becomes  warm,  rises  and  passes  out.  The 
— 2  C  S 


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air  between  the  furnace  and  the  jacket  flows  into  the  room,  and  that 
from  out  of  doors  rushes  in  to  supply  the  place  vacated  by  the  heated 
air  between  the  furnace  and  the  furnace  jacket.  Thus  warm,  pure 
air  from  the  outside  is  flowing  in  and  filling  the  top  of  the  room, 
settling  in  all  parts  of  the  room.  This  goes  on  so  rapidly  that  the  air 
in  the  school  room  is  fit  to  breathe  all  the  time. 


V  .  a-' 

Cut  showing  how  fresh  air  pipe  goes  through  outside  of  wall  of  the  building,  the 
tight  damper  in  the  pipe,  the  deflector  for  throwing  fresh  air  up  between  the  shield 
and  heater  and  the  rings  and  supports  of  the  shield.  The  fresh  air  is  mixed  with 
the  air  in  the  room  which  rises  from  the  floor  ^fween  the  stove  and  the  jacket. 
This  secures  economy  in  the  use  of  fuel  and  yet  secures  good  ventilation. 

' 


The  back  part  of  the  room  iyas  well  heated  as  any  other  part,  and 
the  pupils  near  the  stove  arefiiot  uncomfortable  from  heat.  The 
stove  takes  up  little  room  and  is  out  of  the  way.  In  winter  a  window 
need  never  be  opened  and  yet  the  air  is  always  pure.  If  the  founda¬ 
tion  walls  are  good  the  floor  is  always  warm.  In  the  evening  the 
fire  can  be  banked,  the  draft  closed,  the  check-drafts  opened,  the  air 
shut  off  from  the  outside  and  let  in  from  the  inside.  In  the  morning 
the  teacher  will  find  a  good  bed  of  live  coals  and  the  room  partially 
warm.  In  ten  minutes  the  room  will  be  comfortably  warm. 

Here  we  have  comfort  and  health,  with  little  labor.  Their  value  is 
above  price.  The  cost  is  insignificant.  The  saving  in  fuel  alone  will 
pay.  the  additional  cost  in  a  few  years.  It  is  well  known  that  a  slow, 
Steady  fire-consurrfes  des'?  "fuel  than  an  unsteady  one. 


L  <■  t  t 


I 


THE  LIGHTING. 

The  directions  from  which  the  light  comes  may  seem  a  small  matter 
to  some.  It  is,  however,  a  matter  of  great  importance.  Good  light 
costs  no  more  than  poor.  In  this  school  house  the  greater  part  of  the 
light  is  admitted  from  the  left  of  the  children.  The  school  faces  the 
blank  wall  where  there  is  room  for  plenty  of  blackboard  and  pictures. 
The  light  so  falls  upon  the  blackboard  that  the  work  on  it  can  be 
easily  seen  by  all.  Facing  the  light  is  ruinous  to  the  eyes  of  children. 
Cross  light,  as  when  light  is  admitted  from  opposite  side  of  the 
room,  is  very  injurious.  Good  adjustable  window  shades  should  be 
provided  that  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  can  be  kept  from  falling  upon 
the  children. 

Through  the  windows  the  play  ground  in  the  rear  of  the  building 
is  in  plain  view  of  the  teacher  sitting  at  his  desk. 

SEATING. 

When  we  consider  that  the  children  must  sit  in  the  school  room 
reasonably  quiet  for  at  least  five  hours  a  day,  we  will  not  fail  to  ap¬ 
preciate  that  the  seats  should  be  comfortable  as  possible.  Children 
exercise  their  legs  violently  when  at  play.  If  then  they  must  sit  for  an 
hour  and  a  half  in  a  seat  that  does  not  allow  the  feet  to  rest  on  the 
floor,  a  great  deal  of  suffering  follows.  The  large  nerves  supplying 
the  feet  are  pressed  between  the  bones  of  the  leg  and  the  seat.  If  the 
feet  do  not  rest  on  the  floor  the  pressure  is  on  these  nerves,  and  the 
feet  “go  to  sleep.”  Children  can  not  endure  this  long,  they  become 
restless  and  keep  moving  about  or  assume  positions  which  result  in 
bad  bodily  habits  and  may  lead  to  serious  physical  defects. 

Were  the  seats  of  the  right  size  and  properly  adjusted,  the  children 
would  be  comfortable,  would  busy  themselves  with  their  work  and  their 
health  and  physical  welfare  would  not  be  endangered.  Seats  and  desks 
are  made  in  five  sizes,  designated  by  numbers.  No.  i  is  the  largest, 
and  No.  5  the  smallest.  In  a  country  school  there  should  be  some  of 
all  sizes,  but  there  may  be  fewer  of  No.  1  than  of  the  others.  There 
should  be  more  of  No.  2  and  No.  3  than  any  others.  Double  desks 
should  never  be  placed  in  a  school  room.  The  saving  in  cost  is  insig¬ 
nificant.  The  gain  in  effectiveness  by  using  single  desks  is  great. 
The  effect  on  the  order  of  the  school  and  the  conduct  of  the  children 
is  much  more  wholesome. 

These  things  should  be  strictly  observed  in  seating  the  house  shown 
in  the  floor  plan. 

First — Seats  No.  5  should  be  placed  next  to  the  window.  Eight 
seats  may  be  placed  on  the  first  row.  There  should  be  a  whole  row. 

Scond — Never  place  a  smaller  desk  before  a  seat  of  a  larger  size. 
If  a  row  needs  to  be  composed  of  two  sizes  of  desks,  the  larger  ones 
should  be  placed  behind,  but  where  these  end,  there  should  be  a  seat¬ 
less  desk  of  the  larger  kind  ending  the  half  row,  and  a  deskless  seat 
of  the  smaller  kind  should  be  placed  in  front,  and  the  row  continued 
with  the  smaller  desks. 


12 


Third — The  next  larger  size  desks  should  be  placed  along  side  of 
the  smallest  ones,  and  the  largest  desks  should  be  next  the  door  and 
farthest  from  the  side  windows. 

Fourth — Every  row  should  begin  at  the  back  with  a  deskless  seat. 
A  desk  without  a  seat  behind  it  is  useless.  The  last  desk  in  front 
should  have  a  seat.  This  will  serve  as  an  additional  recitation  seat. 

Fifth — There  should  be  two  recitation  benches  in  front  of  the 
teacher’s  desk. 

Sixth — The  aisles  next  to  the  window  and  at  the  back  of  the  room 
should  be  at  least  twenty-four  inches  wide,  and  the  ailses  between  the 
rows  should  be  twenty  inches  wide.  Next  to  the  doors  the  space  should 
be  four  feet. 

Seventh — Eight  seats,  No.  5,  may  be  placed  in  a  row,  eight  of  Nos. 
3  and  4  in  each  of  the  next  two  rows,  and  seven  of  Nos.  1  and  2  in 
the  last  two.  This  provides  eight  seats  and  desks.  If  less  than  this 
are  needed  the  space  between  the  seats  and  walls  may  be  widened. 

THE  ILLINOIS  DISTRICT  SCHOOL  WITH  BASEMENT. 

To  those  districts  that  can  afford  it  the  Illinois  district  school  with 
basement  is  recommended.  The  space  marked  “fuel  room”  can  be 
utilized  as  the  entrance  to  the  basement  from  the  school  room.  The 
outside  door  to  the  fuel  room  will  not  be  needed,  but  a  window  should 
take  its  place.  When  the  basement  plan  is  used  the  front  of  the  floor 
plan  should  be  reversed,  the  library  where  the  fuel  room  now  is,  and 
the  stairway  where  the  library  now  is. 

The  basement  should  be  at  least  three  feet  above  the  surface  of  the 
ground  and  should  be  well  lighted.  Care  should  be  exercised  to  have 
it  well  drained.  Tile  should  be  placed  all  around  at  the  base  of  the  wall 
on  the  outside  to  collect  all  the  water  that  may  seep  toward  the  base¬ 
ment  from  all  sides.  The  walls  should  contain  an  air  space  to  prevent 
dampness.  The  floor  should  be  concrete,  and  so  constructed  as  to  be 
always  perfectly  dry. 

The  basement  room  can  be  used  as  a  play  room  in  bad  weather. 
A  work  bench  can  be  fitted  up  and  the  boys  be  taught  the  use  of  tools. 
Agriculture  can  be  studied  and  the  litter  occasioned  by  studying  soils 
and  plants  will  not  interfere  with  the  work  in  the  school  room. 

When  manual  training  is  given  the  boys  in  the  basement,  the  girls 
can  use  the  library  room  as  a  sewing  room. 

In  placing  the  furnace  care  should  be  used  to  have  the  pipes  properly 
placed.  It  is  easy  for  one  who  does  not  understand  the  workings  of 
a  furnace  to  make  a  mistake.  A  pipe  should  lead  from  the  outside  to 
the  base  of  the  furnace  to  admit  the  fresh  air.  A  damper  should  be 
placed  in  this  so  that  the  outside  air  can  be  shut  out.  Another  pipe 
should  lead  from  the  school  room  to  the  base  of  the  furnace,  so  that 
the  air  can  be  returned  from  the  room  through  the  furnace.  This 
should  also  contain  a  damper  so  that  this  opening  may  be  closed  when 
the  air  is  taken  from  the  outside.  At  night  the  outside  air  should  be 
shut  off  and  the  return  pipe  from  the  inside  opened.  This  will  keep 
the  room  warm  during  the  night.  As  soon  as  the  house  is  comfortably 
warm  in  the  morning  the  dampers  should  be  changed,  that  fresh  warm 
air  be  supplied  to  the  school  room  from  the  outside. 


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HEATING  THE  LIBRARY  AND  COAT  ROOMS. 

When  the  house  is  heated  with  a  furnace  a  pipe  conducts  the  warm 
air  to  the  library.  When  the  house  is  heated  with  the  school  room 
heater  there  should  be  an  open  transom  above  the  doors  and  the  doors 
should  come  only  within  two  or  three  inches  of  the  floor.  The  warm 
air  will  pass  through  the  transom  into  the  room  to  be  heated  and  the 
colder  air  will  pass  out  under  the  door  into  the  school  room. 

BONDING  THE  DISTRICT  TO  BUILD. 

A  school  direct  may  not  issue  bonds  for  more  than  five  per  centum 
of  the  assessed  valuation.  If  this  is  $25,000  the  district  can  issue 
bonds  for  $1,250.  But  if  they  wish  to  build  a  house  costing  $1,500 
they  may  issue  bonds  for  $1,250  and  enter  into  a  contract  with  the 
builders  to  pay  $250  when  the  next  taxes  are  collected.  One  per 
centum  levied  for  building  purposes  will  pay  off  this  contract.  After 
this  a  tax  levy  of  one  per  centum  would  raise  $250  which  can  be 
applied  to  pay  an  installment  and  interest  on  the  bond. 

Two  and  one-half  per  centum  may  be  legally  levied  which  would 
pay  off  the  indebtedness  in  three  years.  As  a  rule,  however,  it  is 
better  to  allow  the  debt  to  extend  over  a  longer  period  and  levy  enough 
for  educational  purposes  each  year  and  have  the  best  possible  school 
rather  than  to  try  to  pay  off  the  bonds  in  a  shorter  time. 

BILL  OF  MATERIALS. 

Illinois  School  District. 

Excavation — 

Trench,  142'x2'x4.' 

4  piers,  2'x2'x4.' 

Chimney  pier,  I'x4'x6.' 

32'x35'xl.' 

Brickwork — 

141.5'  9"  wall,  5'  deep. 

1  flue,  1.5'x4'x26'  high. 

4  piers,  13"xl3"x5.' 

6  yd  sand. 

5.5  bbl.  lime. 

5.5  bbl.  cement. 

Flag  Pole  Base — 

Concrete,  2'x2'xl.'  4  cu.  ft. 

Chimney  Cap — 

Stone,  4'xl.5'x4". 

Ventilating  Grates  in  Foundation — 

5  vents,  6"x9,"  cast  iron. 

Flue  Lining — 

8"xl2"x20.'  high. 

8"x20"x20.'  high. 


85  cu.  yds. 


11.2  M. 


14 


Woodwork — 

u  « 

Girders,  6  pcs.,  6"xl0"xl2.' 

Sills,  6  pcs.,  2"x8"x20.' 

Sills,  8  pcs.,  2"x8"xl6.' 

Floor  joists,  59  pcs.,  2"x8"xl2.' 

Floor  joists,  13  pcs.,  2"x8"xl0/ 

Studs,  108  pcs,  2"x4"xl4.' 

Studs,  108  pcs.,  2"x4"xl4.' 

Wall  plates,  8  pcs.,  2"x4"xl6.' 

Wall  plates,  4  pcs.,  2"x4"xl8.' 

Wall  plates,  4  pcs.,  2"x4"xl2.' 

Ceiling  joists,  25  pcs.,  2"x6"x24.' 

Ceiling  joists,  34  pcs.,  2"x4"xl0.' 

Rafters,  52  pcs.,  2"x8"xl6/ 

Rafters,  26  pcs.,  2"x4"xl4.' 

Rafters,  5  pcs.,  2"x4"xl6.' 

For  cripples,  40  studs,  2"x4"xl2.' 

Roof  sheathing,  1,100  sq.  ft.,  I"x4.". 

Roof  braces,  26  boards,  I"x4"xl6.' 

Roof  shingles,  13,000. 

Boxing,  2,040'xl." 

Siding,  2,500'  x4." 

Flooring,  1,450  ft.,  I"x4." 

Cornice  placier,  225  ft.,  I"x4"  wainscoting. 

Wainscoting,  860  sq.  ft. 

Lining  for  fuel  room,  250  sq.  ft.  flooring. 

Cornice  crown  mould,  234  ft.  4"  wd. 

Finish  lumber,  base,  corner-boards,  frieze,  ridge-boards  and  steps,  655  ft. 
Doors  and  Frames — 

Outside  double  doors,  4'  8"x7'  0"xl%"  G.  P.  Tr.  16,"  5  lights. 

Inside  double  doors,  4'  8"x7'  0"xl%"  G.  P.  Tr.  16,"  5  lights. 

4  doors,  2'  8"x7'  0"xl%." 

1  door,  2'  6"x7'  0"xl%." 

1  door  1'  6"x7'  0"xl%." 

Outside  fuel  door,  2'  8"x7'  0"xl%." 

Windows  and  Frames — 

Group  of  5  windows,  box  frames,  2  L.  38"x38." 

2  windows,  plain  frames,  1  L.  32"x36." 

2  windows,  plain  frames,  double  folding  sash,  1  L.  16"x44"  hinged 
outside.. 

2  windows,  plain  frames,  single  sash,  binged  outside,  1  L.  10"x44." 

1  flag  pole  30'  long,  5"x5"  and  3"x3,"  W.  I.  bolder. 

Lath,  5,100. 

Plastering — 

9  bbl.  lime. 

6  yds  sand. 

15  bu.  hair. 

Sheet  metal,  hardware,  painting,  desks,  paper  hanging,  decoratings  walls 
and  ceiling,  heater,  ventilating  register,  fresh  air  duct,  blackboards,  walks. 

It  is  impossible  to  state  exactly  what  the  cost  of  this  building  will  be, 
for  the  price  of  both  material  and  labor  differs  in  different  localities.  With¬ 
out  the  basement  the  cost  will  probably  vary  from  $1,350  to  $1,650.  The 
basement  will  probably  cost  from  $250  to  $300. 


15 


A  LESS  EXPENSIVE  HOUSE. 


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A  LESS  EXPENSIVE  HOUSE. 

In  some  districts  the  assessed  value  of  the  property  is  so  low  that 
it  will  be  impossible  to  raise  the  money  by  taxation  to  build  so  expen¬ 
sive  a  house  as  the  Illinois  district  school.  For  such,  a  less  expensive 
plan  is  suggested. 

The  foundation  is  28  by  32  feet;  the  school  room  23  by  26  feet  6 
inches ;  the  library,  7  feet  by  8  feet,  8  inches ;  the  coat  rooms,  vestibule 
and  the  fuel  room  each  4  by  7  feet.  The  room  will  seat  35  children. 
If  preferred  the  floor  plan  may  be  reversed,  placing  the  library  where 
the  fuel  room  is,  the  heater  and  fuel  room  where  the  library  now  is. 

It  provides  all  the  conveniences  of  the  more  expensive  house,,  but  is 
smaller  and  plain  in  appearance.  The  cost  of  building  will  be  from 
$800  to  $1,000,  depending  upon  the  price  of  material  and  labor  in 
different  localities. 

REPAIRING  AND  IMPROVING  OLD  BUILDINGS. 

Most  of  the  country  school  houses  built  forty  years  ago  are  usually 
of  the  type  shown  in  figure  6.  The  timbers  are  still  sound  and  districts 
do  not  like  to  discard  the  old  and  build  new  houses.  A  house  of  this 
type  can  be  repaired  and  improved  at  small  cost.  The  house  then  will 
be  good  for  a  generation. 

The  common  hall  and  vestibule  can  be  divided  into  a  vestibule  and 
two  cloak  rooms.  The  chimney  should  be  torn  down  and  a  double  one 
built  from  the  ground  up ;  the  stove  replaced  by  a  school  heater  and 
placed  in  the  corner  out  of  the  way.  A  fuel  room  can  be  built  on  the 
back  of  the  building. 

The  only  defect  in  this  house  will  be  the  lighting.  Even  this  may  be 
remedied  by  placing  windows  in  the  rear  of  the  house  closing  the 
windows  on  one  side  and  building  the  fuel  room  on  the  windowless 
side.  The  seats  should  then  face  the  blank  wall.  If  the  change  in 
the  windows  is  not  made,  shades  should  be  provided  that  roll  up  at 
the  bottom,  admitting  the  needed  light  from  above,  thus  not  coming 
directly  into  the  children’s  eyes. 


17 


Remodeled . 


i8 


MAKE  A  FURNACE  OF  THE  OLD  STOVE. 

If  a  district  has  a  good  stove  which  it  does  not  wish  to  discard,  a 
furnace  may  be  made  of  it  at  little  expense. 

At  the  corner  of  the  house  cut  a  hole  in  the  foundation  wall  and 
another  through  the  floor  where  the  stove  is  to  stand.  Connect  these 
openings  with  a  galvanized  iron  conduit,  and  surround  the  stove  with 
a  galvanized  iron  jacket  about  eight  inches  from  the  sides  of  the 
stove.  The  jacket  should  reach  and  be  fastened  to  the  floor  and  ex¬ 
tended  to  a  height  of  five  feet.  There  should  be  a  door  in  the  jacket 
through  which  fuel  may  be  placed  in  the  stove  and  through  which  the 
ash  box  can  be  removed.  There  should  be  another  door  at  the  bottom 
of  the  jacket  about  twenty-four  inches  wide  and  eight  inches  high. 
When  it  is  desired  to  take  a  supply  of  air  from  inside  the  room,  this 
door  should  be  opened  and  the  hole  in  the  floor  closed  with  a  board  or 
piece  of  sheet  iron  kept  under  the  stove  for  that  purpose. 

To  carry  the  foul  air  out  of  the  room  a  galvanized  iron  pipe  may  be 
placed  in  a  corner  of  the  room  within  eight  inches  of  the  floor  and 
through  the  roof.  To  build  a  double  chimney  would  be  much  better. 

The  expense  of  making  this  change  in  the  stove  will  be  from  fifteen 
to  twenty  dollars.  The  health  and  comfort  of  the  children  resulting 
from  it  cannot  be  estimated  in  dollars. 


Fig.  8.  This  cut  shows  the  usual  way  of  heating  a  school  room.  The  stove  some¬ 
times  red  hot  is  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  where  it  overheats  those  near  it  and  fails 
to  warm  those  near  the  walls,  and  is  in  everybody’s  way. 


19 


Fig.  9.  This  is  how  Fig.  8  should  he  treated,  except  that  it  should  be  placed  in  a 
corner  of  the  room.  The  children  near  by  and  those  far  away  will  be  comfortable 
in  the  coldest  weather. 


JACKET  THE  STOVE. 

Another  way  to  improve  the  heating  of  the  room  is  that  shown  in 
Fig.  7  and  8.  Place  a  jacket  about  the  stove  to  within  eight  inches  of 
the  floor.  Place  the  stove  in  the  corner  of  the  room  about  eighteen 
inches  from  the  walls.  There  is  no  danger  of  overheating  the  walls  and 
setting  the  building  on  fire. 

There  is  no  doubt  about  this  heating  all  parts  of  the  house  better 
than  the  stove  did  before  it  was  jacketed.  It  will  be  out  of  the  way 
and  no  one  will  be  uncomfortable  because  of  too  great  heat. 

This  does,  however,  not  provide  for  fresh  air.  The  air  in  the  room 
is  rotated  and  reheated.  While  it  is  better  than  the  old  way,  it  is  not 
so  good  as  to  make  a  furnace  of  the  stove. 


CHAPTER  II. 


Boards  of  School  Directors. 

THE  DIRECTOR'S  OPPORTUNITY. 

The  people  of  America  enjoy  many  privileges  which  are  denied  to 
many  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  Among  these  none  is  greater  than  the 
chance  which  every  child  has  to  rise  to  the  plane  of  highest  usefulness 
through  public  education. 

In  the  older  countries  the  accident  of  birth  determines  a  person’s 
career.  He  is  born  to  affluence  and  power  or  to  penury  and  toil  for  a 
mere  livelihood.  Again  and  again  has  it  been  proven  in  America  that 
the  advantages  of  birth  are  rather  with  him  who  comes  to  the  home  of 
honest  and  aspiring  parents  who  live  a  simple  life  and  earn  their  liveli¬ 
hood  with  their  own  hand.  As  a  rule  the  leaders  of  men  in  all  walks 
of  life  came  from  the  farm  home.  Their  early  life  was  spent  in  the 
country  school.  Here  they  receive  the  elements  of  learning  and  ac¬ 
quired  the  training  that  made  them  self-reliant,  industrious  and  am¬ 
bitious  to  succeed. 

The  public  school  is  the  American  child’s  opportunity.  Give  him  this 
and  he  may  become  the  most  useful  of  men.  Deny  him  this  and  you 
doom  him  to  a  narrow,  almost  useless  life. 

In  the  light  of  what  the  country  life  and  the  country  school  may  do 
for  the  children,  the  office  of  school  director  appears  of  great  import¬ 
ance.  He  is  really  at  the  head  of  the  school  system  of  Illinois.  Others 
may  counsel  and  advise,  he  does  things.  He  levies  the  taxes  to  support 
the  school.  He  can  say  whether  too  little  or  enough  shall  be  spent  by 
the  people  for  education.  He  hires  the  teacher  and  may  choose  one  who 
is  of  no  account  or  one  who  becomes  the  child's  greatest  benefactor. 
He  makes  the  rules  and  regulations  that  control  the  school.  If  the 
teacher  fails  to  teach  a  good  school  he  may  discharge  him  and  employ 
one  who  will  do  the  work  well.  The  young  people’s  future  is  practi¬ 
cally  in  his  hands.  Directors  get  no  pay,  they  do  much  work  and  are 
subjected  to  many  annoyances,  yet  that  they  are  the  most  useful  men 
in  the  community  if  they  do  their  duty  is  some  compensation. 

So  great  a  responsibility  should  receive  each  member’s  best  effort. 
Negligence  here  means  disaster  to  many  a  life,  conscientious  efforts 
means  good  fortune  and  usefulness. 


21 


TRANSACTING  SCHOOL  BUSINESS. 

The  one  thing  that  school  boards  can  do  that  will  be  most  effective 
in  making  the  country  school  better,  is  to  hold  regular  meetings  once 
a  month  and  transact  all  business  in  open  board.  This  is  the  only  way 
that  business  can  be  done  legally.  That  done  in  any  other  way  is  with¬ 
out  sanction  of  law,  and  would  be  declared  void  if  tested  in  the  courts. 
One  member  has  equal  rights  and  powers  with  other  members.  It  takes 
all  to  constitute  the  board;  while  it  is  right  for  the  majority  to  rule, 
yet  the  other  member  has  a  right  to  be  present  and  be  heard. 

Much  money  is  wasted  every  year  by  boards  buying  useless  appar- 
tus  which  would  not  have  been  bought  if  the  board  had  held  a  meeting. 
They  were  made  to  believe  what  was  not  true.  Often  they  find  that 
money  enough  to  pay  for  a  month’s  school  has  gone  for  something 
which  none  of  the  directors  wanted.  Before  buying  anything  from 
an  agent  it  would  be  well  to  get  a  statement  direct  from  the  county 
superintendent  as  to  its  merits,  and  make  no  agreements  with  an  agent 
except  in  the  presence  of  the  board. 

CONFERRING  WITH  THE  TEACHER. 

The  board  should  know  how  the  school  is  progressing  by  consulting 
with  the  teacher.  Too  often  they  depend  on  hearsay  and  that  from 
children  whose  judgment  they  would  not  take  in  any  other  matter.  To 
employ  a  man  to  care  for  stock  and  then  depend  on  boys  and  girls  to 
tell  how  well  he  is  doing  his  work  would  be  regarded  as  the  height  of 
folly.  To  employ  one  to  care  for  the  highest  interest  of  children  of  the 
district  and  then  depend  entirely  on  what  children  say  as  to  how  well 
these  interests  are  cared  for,  is  worse  than  folly. 

The  teacher  has  a  most  difficult  task  and  needs  the  advice  and  sup¬ 
port  of  the  board.  This  he  can  get  effectively  only  at  a  meeting  of  the 
board.  Misundersandings  will  arise.  The  teacher  sincerely  tries  to  do 
what  is  best.  The  parents  want  the  best  for  their  children  and  look  to 
the  teacher  for  it.  The  children  themselves  would  rather  have  a  good 
school  than  a  poor  one.  All  should  and  would  cooperate  did  not  mis¬ 
understandings  arise.  The  directors  often  hear  of  dissatisfaction  be¬ 
fore  the  teacher  does.  At  a  meeting  of  the  board  and  teacher,  the  matter 
could  be  set  right.  If  parents  have  serious  complaints  they  should  be 
asked  to  attend  the  meeting  of  the  board  and  state  their  case.  In  most 
instances  all  could  be  explained  and  right  relations  established. 


% 


22 


There  are  1094  of  these  in  Illinois.  About  as  bad  as  can  be.  Foundation  gone, 
siding  full  of  holes,  a  great  crack  under  the  door,  no  trees,  shrubs  or  flowers,  double 
outhouse.  The  lightning  rod  shows  that  the  agent  got  in  his  work,  and  the  children’s 
money.  No  one  seems  to  care. 


ILL  FEELING  BETWEEN  MEMBERS. 

V 

It  sometimes  happens  that  there  is  ill-feeling  between  members  of 
the  board.  Whatever  the  cause,  .it  should  not  be  allowed  to  affect 
school  business.  The  people  have  chosen  the  members  to  attend  to 
important  public  business.  To  allow  personal  affairs  to  interfere  with 
a  member  doing  his  whole  duty  is  wrong.  If  a  director  cannot  bring 
himself  to  transact  the  business  of  the  board  with  another  member  he 
should  resign. 

Sometimes  two  members  intentionally  or  thoughtlessly  ignore  the 
third  member.  If  a  member’s  wishes  do  not  coincide  with  those  of  the 
other  two  he  may  be  outvoted,  but  he  should  not  be  counted  out.  He 
has  a  right  to  be  heard.  To  deny  him  a  voice  on  the  board  is  a  wrong 
to  the  people  who  elected  him. 

WHAT  TO  DO  AT  A  MEETING. 

I.  Have  the  teacher  deliver  his  schedule  for  the  month.  Approve 
it  or  have  it  corrected  and  give  him  an  order  for  his  month’s  salary. 


23 


2.  Have  the  teacher  make  a  report  of  the  month’s  progress. 

1.  Attendance,  absenteeism,  and  tardiness.  2.  Progress  of  each  grade. 
If  not  satisfactory,  discuss  the  causes  and  the  remedy.  3.  Report  of  individ¬ 
ual  cases  which  require  attention.  If  the  conduct  of  pupils  is  troublesome, 
try  to  find  the  remedy. 

3.  Consider  complaints  made  by  parents.  Learn  the  teacher’s  side 
from  him,  and  do  not  pass  judgment  until  you  have  heard  both  sides; 
If  the  matter  is  serious  have  the  parent  at  the  meeting.  Most  cases 
can  be  adjusted  satisfactorily  to  all  concerned.  The  teacher  is  en¬ 
titled  to  the  directors’  confidence,  until  he  is  shown  to  be  in  the  wrong. 
At  all  times  the  directors’  attitude  should  be  that  of  a  friend  to  both 
teacher  and  parent,  and  try  to  bring  harmony  into  the  affairs  of  the 
school. 

4.  Consider  the  teacher’s  request  for  what  he  thinks  is  needed 
for  better  progress  in  the  schools.  Give  him  such  advice  and  encourage¬ 
ment  as  is  needed. 


There  are  4281  such  as  this  in  Illinois!,  Beautiful  grounds,  two  outhouses,  the  coal 
shed  in  the  back  instead  of  the  front  yard.  Someone  evidently  cares  for  the  comfort 
and  welfare  of  the  children. 

There  are  5263  one-room  school-  houses  not  as  good  as  this  and  not  as  bad  as  the 
other. 


24 


EMPLOYING  THE  TEACHER. 

If  the  board  of  directors  desires  to  have  a  good  school,  they  cannot 
be  indifferent  about  employing  a  teacher.  There  is  no  hope  for  a  good 
school  without  a  good  teacher. 

1.  Decide  what  the  district  is  able  to  pay. 

2.  Decide  to  employ  the  best  teacher  that  the  money  will  get. 

It  is  a  bad  practice  to  try  to  get  a  teacher  for  the  least  money.  If 
you  can  pay  forty  dollars  a  month  get  the  best  for  forty  dollars.  If 
you  can  pay  fifty,  let  it  be  known  that  you  will  take  only  the  best  that 
the  money  will  get.  If  you  can  pay  sixty  dollars,  you  can  secure  the 
very  best  teacher. 

3.  Try  to  find  the  best  teacher.  The  first  who  applies  has  no  super¬ 
ior  rights.  Indeed  it  will  be  perfectly  right  to  ask  one  whom  you  want,, 
to  apply,  even  if  you  already  have  numerous  applications  on  hand. 

It  is  the  business  of  the  county  superintendent  to  help  you.  He  is 
more  likely  than  any  one  else  to  know  who  the  good  teachers  are,  who 
would  do  well  in  your  school.  Tell  him  how  much  you  can  pay  and 
that  you  want  the  best  teacher  that  can  be  gotten  for  that  salary.  He 
will  give  you  the  benefit  of  his  best  judgment.'  He  cannot  afford  to  do 
otherwise,  if  he  would.  He  knows  he  will  be  held  responsible  if  the 
one  he  recommends  fails. 

4.  Consider  the  interests  of  the  children  only.  Remember  the 
school  money  is  the  children’s  money  and  you  are  their  educational 
guardians.  Some  poor  family  may  need  the  money  and  you  may  desire 
to  help  one  so  deserving  and  so  needy.  But  you  are  not  privileged  to 
contribute  the  children’s  money  unless  by  so  doing  you  give  them  the 
best  teacher  for  their  money. 

You  may  have  a  friend  who  would  like  a  place  for  his  daughter.  It 
is  a  failure  in  duty  to  give  her  the  place  if  she  is  not  the  best  teacher 
that  you  can  get. 

You  are  school  directors  to  serve  the  children.  To  let  other  consid¬ 
erations  influence  you  in  selecting  a  teacher  makes  you  unfaithful  in 
your  great  trust. 

BEGINNING  THE  YEAR. 

Having  employed  the  teacher  the  next  step  is  to  get  everything  ready 
to  begin  right.  The  board  should  have  a  meeting  at  which  the  teacher 
is  present  and  let  him  know  what  the  board  desires,  and  to  find  out 
what  the  teacher’s  plans  are.  A  complete  understanding  at  this  point 
is  very  necessary.  This  can  be  secured  only  at  a  meeting. 

See  to  it  that  the  school  house  is  in  good  repair  and  that  it  is  thor¬ 
oughly  cleaned.  Find  out  what  apparatus,  books,  and  supplies  are 
needed  and  have  everything  in  place  when  school  begins. 

An  invoice  of  all  the  property  on  hand  should  be  taken  and  the 
teacher  told  that  he  will  be  held  responsible  for  it.  If  anything  is  ac¬ 
cidentally  or  wilfully  destroyed  the  teacher  should  report  it  at  a  month¬ 
ly  meeting,  which  will  relieve  him  of  responsibility. 


25 


LIBRARY  AND  MUSEUM— Cottage  Hill,  1904. 

The  Library  contains  over  225  Volumes.  This  picture  also  shows  collections  of  wood, 
insects,  seeds,  geological  cabinet,  pressed  flowers  from  the  school 
garden,  specimens  of  manual  training,  etc. 


26 


A  WELL  FURNISHED  SCHOOL  ROOM. 

No  school  should  be  without  the  articles  enumerated  below : 

1.  Desks  to  fit  all  sizes  of  children.  Every  row  of  desks  of  the 
same  size. 

2.  A  desk  for  the  teacher  containing  drawers  that  can  be  locked. 

3.  Slate  blackboard  in  front  of  the  children  and  within  reach  of 
the  smallest. 

4.  A  book  case  so  constructed  and  so  placed  that  it  will  protect 
the  books  from  dust  and  from  mice,  and  that  can  be  securely  locked. 

5.  A  well  selected  library  of  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty 
books,  suitable  as  reference  books  and  home  reading,  and  adapted  to 
pupils  of  all  grades.  Expensive  reference  books  are  of  little  value  to 
the  grades. 

6.  Two  sets  of  suplementary  first  and  second  readers  and  one  set  of 
third.  A  copy  of  every  text  book  in  use  for  the  use  of  the  teacher. 

7.  Three  grades  of  dictionaries  :  One  for  third  and  fourth  grades ; 
one  for  fifth  and  sixth  grades,  and  one  for  the  higher  grades.  A  com¬ 
plete  dictionary,  costing  $12.00,  is  not  usable  for  children.  Cheap 
editions  from  old  plates  should  be  avoided.  The  cost  for  the  three  is 
$2.18. 

8.  A  set  of  wall  maps  on  rollers  in  a  case  consisting  of  maps  of  the 
hemispheres,  North  and  South  America,  Eurasia,  Africa,  Oceanica, 
the  United  States  and  Illinois,  and  where  possible  a  map  of  the  county 
should  be  included.  The  set  should  not  cost  more  than  twenty  dollars. 

9.  A  globe,  costing  not  more  than  two  dollars. 

10.  A  box  of  cards  containing  printed  words  suitable  for  children 
to  construct  sentences  when  learning  to  read. 

11.  Crayon,  erasers,  broom,  dust  pan,  poker,  fire  shovel,  wire  waste 
basket,  wash  basin,  and,  outside  the  building,  a  foot  scraper  and  foot 
broom. 

12.  .  Pint,  quart,  gallon  and  peck  measures.  A  thermometer,  foot 
and  yard  measures  and  a  few  small  dull  pointed  scissors  for  the  use  of 
the  younger  pupils. 

13.  Two  or  three  good  pictures  on  the  walls. 

Avoid  purchasing  charts  and  expensive  apparatus  of  all  kinds.  The 
stuff  is  not  worth  the  room  it  occupies.  Children  cannot  be  taught  bv 
machinery.  Provide  a  good  teacher,  provide  her  with  a  comfortable, 
healthful,  and  attractive  house,  and  the  things  mentioned  above,  not 
omitting  a  good  library  of  children’s  books,  then  the  benefits  of  the 
school  will  far  exceed  its  costs. 


27 


DINING  ROOM — Cottage  Hill,  1904. 

Dining  Room  in  the  Basement,  where  pupils  ate  their  dinners.  Every  article  in  this 
room  was  purchased  with  money  raised  by  the  pupils  and  teacher. 


28 


HAVE  THE  SCHOOL  WELL  ORGANIZED. 

Find  out  what  plans  the  county  superintendent  has  for  organizing 
the  schools.  No  doubt  he  does,  as  do  most  of  the  county  superintend¬ 
ents  of  the  State,  recommend  the  use  of  the  State  course  of  study,  and 
regular  work  in  classes  by  months  and  years.  See  that  the  teacher  is 
supplied  with  the  course  of  study  and  a  classification  register.  At  the 
end  of  the  month  have  him  exhibit  to  the  board  the  classification  regis¬ 
ter  properly  filled  out.  By  means  of  this  let  him  report  the  progress 
made  during  the  month.  See  to  it  that  he  uses  the  examination  ques¬ 
tions  monthly.  If  possible,  have  evefy  class  do  the  work  assigned  in 
the  course  for  that  month*- 

If  the  teacher  reports  that  the  children  are  too  far  ahead  in  any  sub¬ 
ject  in  the  course,  authorize  him  to  put  them  where  they  can  do  the 
best  work  for  themselves,  "He  may  be  afraid  to  turn  the  children  back 
unless  he  has  your  approval  in  so  doing.  It  is  impossible  for  children 
to  do  well  when  the  work  is  too  far  advanced  for  them.  Probably 
more  children  lose  the  benefits  of  good  schooling  from  this  source 
than  from  any,  other.  If  the  school  continues  eight  months  in  the  year 
and  is  well  taugh±4the  pupils  may  keep  up  with  the  course.  But  if  the 
term  is  shorter  arid  the  teacher  not  the  best,  it  will  take  five  years  to 
complete  the  first  fourtyears’  work,  and  five  more  to  complete  the  last 
four.  If  this  is  the  case,  as  a  rule,  the  child  should  enter  the  fifth  year 
of  the  course  at  eleven  years  of  age,  and  should  complete  the  course  at 
the  end  of  his, sixteenth  year.  When  a  child  is  ahead  of  its  grade  at  a 
given  age  it  is  well  to  make  inquiry  and  be  certain  that  he  is  not  too 
far  advanced.  y\ 

MAKING  SCHOOL  WORK  INTERESTING. 

If  children  are  not  interested  in  their  school  work  they  will  make 
little  progress,  and  will  quit  school  at  the  first  opportunity.  The  child 
that  quits  school,  not  interested  in  what  education  has  to  offer,  will  pur¬ 
sue  his  studies  no  further.  The  meager  amount  of  knowledge  which 
he  has  will  be  of  little  service  to  him. 

Arithmetic,  writing  and  grammar  are  subjects  that  demand  skill. 
To  get  this,  drill  is  necessary.  This  is  usually  not  very  interesting  and 
interest  ceases  when  the  skill  has  been  acquired.  Reading,  history,  and 
geography  are  studies  that  call  out  the  child’s  interest  and  if  he  is  once 
thoroughly  started  he  will  continue  to  learn  more,  even  after  he  leaves 
school.  Probably  the  most  useful  study  of  the  school  is  reading.  But 
simply  learning  how  to  read  is  of  little  value  unless  one  uses  it  to  learn 
useful  facts.  To  form  the  habit  of  reading  is  quite  as  necessary  as  to 
learn  to  read. 


THE  SCHOOL  LIBRARY. 

As  soon  as  the  child  has  finished  the  second  reader  he  is  able  to  read 
books  for  the  sake  of  the  information  in  them.  There  are  now  many 
good  books,  very  interesting  to  children  so  young.  The  ability  to  read 
should  now  be  looked  upon  as  a  tool  with  which  the  child  can  better 
prepare  his  mind  and  character  to  do  the  best  work  in  life. 


29 


Every  country  school  should  have  a  good  circulating  library  of 
children’s  books  so  that  each  pupil  may  have  a  good  book  to  read  at 
home  at  all  times.  There  is  now  no  difficulty  in  finding  the  good  books. 
The  State  course  of  study  recommends  many  that  are  helpful  in  the 
regular  school  studies.  Some  are  chosen  for  every  grade  from  the 
first  to  the  advanced.  The  reading  of  these  at  home  makes  every 
school  study  more  interesting  and  useful  to  the  child. 

The  Illinois  Pupils’  Reading  Circle  is  an  organization  of  the  teachers 
of  the  State  to  select  the  best  books  and  to  promote  good  reading 
among  the  children.  The  books  which  they  select  are  well  graded. 
There  is  no  question  about  their  being  good  books.  To  stimulate  the 
reading  of  these  books  by  the  children  diplomas  are  awarded  when  they 
have  read  six  books. 

Boards  of  directors  are  empowered  by  law  to  use  public  money  for 
library  purposes.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  begin  by  buying  ten  dollars  worth 
of  good  books  the  first  year  and  five  dollars  worth  yearly  thereafter. 
In  five  years  a  good  library  will  be  collected.  In  no  way  can  school 
money  be  spent  to  a  better  purpose. 


PUPILS  AT  WORK  IN  BASEMENT— Cottage  Hill,  1904. 

Work  bench  and  sewing  room  in  basement.  The  work  bench  was  made  by  the  boys. 
Here  is  where  the  pupils  spend  a  part  of  their  time  making  useful  articles. 

No  lessons  were  lost.  All  work  was  done  on  “idle  time.” 


30 


ELEMENTS  OF  AGRICULTURE. 

Book  learning  alone  is  of  little  value  in  every  day  living.  But  with¬ 
out  book  learning  one  cannot  get  on  very  far  in  a  useful  life.  From  the 
study  of  books  and  real  things  we  get  knowledge.  But  truth  is  most 
valuable  when  it  is  applied  to  the  getting  and  the  doing  of  those  things 
that  make  for  human  well  being.  Work  is  the  application  of  knowledge 
in  promoting  well  being.  Knowledge  and  work  must  go  hand  in  hand. 

Everywhere  in  civilized  countries  there  is  now  an  effort  to  have  work 
introduced  into  the  elementary  schools  along  with  the  study  of  books. 
The  purpose  is  to  give  children  a  chance  from  the  first  to  use  their 
knowledge  in  doing  useful  work.  In  elementary  agriculture  in  the 
schools  it  is  not  expected  that  the  child  shall  learn  how  to  farm  from 
his  teacher.  It  is  expected  that  his  teacher  shall  interest  him  in  farm¬ 
ing,  and  other  useful  work,  and  awaken  the  desire  to  be  of  service. 

Girls,  too,  should  be  interested  in  work.  Sewing  and  house  work 
are  the  things  nearest  at  hand.  The  teacher  cannot  hope  to  make  them 
skillful  in  these  employments,  but  she  can  hope  to  interest  the  girls  in 
these  things  that  they  can  and  ought  to  do  at  home. 

The  State  Course  Study  outlines  a  course  in  these  subjects.  Boards 
of  directors  should  encourage  the  teacher  to  do  what  he  can  along  these 
lines. 

A  small  part  of  the  school  ground  should  be  spaded  up  and  the 
children,  under  the  direction  of  the  teacher,  should  plant  various  pro¬ 
ducts  for  purposes  of  instruction  and  study.  Each  child  should  have  a 
chance  at  home  to  plant  a  garden,  or  a  farm  crop.  From  the  teacher  and 
books  he  will  learn  the  how  and  why  of  the  work  in  which  he  is  inter¬ 
ested. 

It  is  the  nature  of  the  child  to  busy  himself  with  play,  doing  the 
things  for  the  fun  of  it.  He  must  be  trained  to  do  things  because  they 
serve  some  useful  purpose.  The  best  means  for  leading  the  child  from 
the  activities  of  play  to  those  of  work  are  tools.  Every  child  likes  to 
make  things  that  he  can  use.  This  is  the  beginning  of  his  love  of  work. 
A  work  bench,  a  few  tools,  saw,  hammer,  plane,  square,  and  chisel, 
and  sand,  paper  can  be  made  excellent  means  of  education. 

The  children  can  work  at  recesses  and  noon  and  a  half  hour  twice  a 
week  after  they  have  prepared  their  other  school  work.  Experience 
has  proved  that  this  does  not  retard  the  usual  school  work,  but  be¬ 
cause  of  the  children’s  added  interest  they  get  on  faster  than  without 
this  hand  work. 


31 


« 


HAND-MADE  ARTICLES — Cottage  Hill,  1904. 

All  of  this  work  was  done  outside  of  school  or  during  time  that  would  have  been  wasted. 
The  general  tone  of  the  school  was  much  improved  by  having  “something 
to  do  with  the  hands.”  Lessons  were  learned  better,  the 
hand-work  acting  as  a  stimulus. 


3  2 


/ 


SCHOOL  GROUNDS. 

The  school  ground  should  be  well  covered  with  sod  and  be  well 
drained.  It  should  be  attractive  and  afford  the  children  a  pleasant 
place  to  play.  The  unsightly  coal  shed  should  be  removed  and  a  fuel 
room  added  to  the  rear  of  the  house  as  shown  in  figure  7.  Trees  should 
be  planted  near  the  fenc$, .but  the  center  should  be  left  for  a  play 
ground.  It  should  be  fenced  to  keep  out  stock  that  may  be  grazing 
along  the  road.  The  grass  and  weeds  should  be  cut  several  times  dur¬ 
ing  the  summer.  If  left  until  school  begins  the  stubs  of  weeds  make  it 
unfit  for  a  play  ground. 

'  >  \ 

OUTHOUSES. 

Neglect  of  outhouses  is  the  source  of  demoralization  of  many  child¬ 
ren.  There  should  be  two  as  far  apart  as  the  grounds  will  permit. 
Each  should  be  screened  and  vines  be  planted  to  overrun  the  screen. 
The  walls  should  be  kept  free  from  obscene  language  and  pictures. 

There  are  yet  to  be  found  double  outhouses  on  school  grounds.  It  is 
difficult  to  conceive  of  a  worse  arrangement  than  these  doubled  doored 
abominations.  To  build  one  of  them  should  be  a  penal  offence.  Better 
expose  the  children  to  a  deadly  contagious  disease  than  to  subject  them 
to  the  moral  leprosy  which  lurks  in  these  'double  outhouses. 


e  •>>  * 
U 


33 


CHAPTER  III. 


Organization  and  Devices 

The  one-room  school,  containing  as  it  does  pupils  of  all  ages  and 
all  stages  of  advancement,  must  be  organized  into  a  harmonious  work¬ 
ing  body.  Organization  requires  the  grouping  of  pupils,  the  allot¬ 
ment  of  time,  the  assignment  of  duties  so  that  both  pupil  and  teacher 
may  work  to  the  best  advantage. 

The  State  Course  of  Study  provides  the  plan  of  organization.  It 
divides  the  work  of  the  course  into  eight  years,  or  grades,  and  each 
grade  into  classes.  If  all  classes  of  the  eight  grades  were  present  the 
divisions  would  be  so  numerous  that  the  teacher  could  not  do  justice 
to  all. 


THE  PLAN  OF  ALTERNATION. 

The  most  successful  scheme  to  secure  fewer  classes  and  yet  do  the 
least  injustice  to  any  is  known  as  alternation.  The  work  is  so  ar¬ 
ranged  that  two  grades  may  work  together  doing  the  allotted  work  of 
two  years.  But  the  year's  work  is  done  in  the  reverse  order  from  the 
year  before.  In  this  way  the  classes  required  for  three  years  of  the 
course  are  dropped  out,  with  little  detriment  to  the  work. 

In  September  of  the  odd  numbered  years,  as  1909,  1911,  the  classes 
are: 

1 .  First  year,  in  every  study. 

2.  Second  year,  in  every  study. 

3  ^  Third  year,  in  numbers  only. 

(  Fourth  year,  in  every  study. 

4  j  Fifth  year,  in  no  classes  at  all. 

}  Sixth  year,  in  every  study. 

-  ^  Seventh  yearv  in  no  classes  at  all. 

’■  I  Eighth  year,  in  every  study. 

In  September  of  the  even  numbered  years,  as  1910,  1912,  the 
classes  are: 

1 .  First  year,  in  every  study. 

2.  Second  year,  in  every  study. 

2  ^  Third  year,  in  every  study. 

'  (  Fourth  year,  in  numbers  only. 

^  $  Fifth  year,  in  every  study. 

‘  (  Sixth  year,  in  no  classes  at  all. 

_  \  Seventh  year,  in  every  study. 

(  Eighth  year,  in  no  classes  at  all. 

Grades  enclosed  in  braces  recite  together  in  the  classes  organized 
except  in  numbers  in  the  third  and  fourth  years.  In  the  odd  num¬ 
bered  years  the  work  outlined  for  fourth,  sixth  and  eighth  years  is 
done,  and  in  the  even  numbered  years  that  of  the  third,  fifth  and 
seventh  years. 


t 

l  > 

.  I 

34 

OUTLINE  OF  THE  YEAR’S  WORK. 

The  State  Course  of  Study  outlines  the  work  for  each  year  by 
months.  If  text  books  in  a  county  are  not  uniform  each  teacher 
must  adapt  the  text  to  the  outline.  In  counties  in  which  the  books 
are  uniform  the  county  superintendent  usually  issues  a  supplement 
to  the  State  Course,  in  which  he  makes  the  adaptation.  As  he  makes 
out  the  questions  for  monthly  or  bi-monthly  and  final  tests  the  order 
need,  not  be  exactly  that  of  the  State  Course,  but  following  more 
nearly  the  order  of  the  text.  This  saves  the  teachers  much  labor  and 
the  pupil  much  confusion.  Bat  the  suggestions  of  the  State  Course 
should  not  be  neglected  when  a  county  outline  is  provided. 

DAILY  WORK. 

Organization  further  requires  that  the  work  of  the  day  for  both  the 
teacher  and  pupil  be  definitely  outlined  and  time  allotted  for  teach¬ 
ing  and  for  study.  The  teacher’s  schedule  of  work  is  the  program  of 
recitation.  The  pupil’s  schedule  is  the  program  of  study.  The 
teacher  does  her  most  important  work  at  the  recitation  bench.  Here 
she  tests,  drills,  and  instructs  the  pupil.  Here  she  assigns  him  work 
for  the  next  day  and  prepares  him  to  do  it  successfully.  The  pupil 
does  his  most  important  work  at  the  study  desk.  Here  he  masters 
the  tasks  set  him  by  the  teacher.  At  the  recitation  bench  he  proves 
that  he  has  done  his  part,  receives  the  drill  and  direction  which  en¬ 
ables  him  to  succeed  if  he  has  failed,  and  prepares  him  to  successfully 
do  the  next  work  assigned. 

DAILY  SCHEDULES. 

On  the  following  pages  are  model  schedules  of  recitation  and  of 
study,  wThich  may  be  used  as  guides  in  framing  a  program.  Ail  the 
classes  are  supposed  to  be  present  and  no  extra  classes  are  provided 
for.  It  is  likely  that  in  most  schools  some  of  the  grades  will  be  miss¬ 
ing.  This  will  give  additional  time  for  the  recitation  of  those  present. 
It  may  be  that  some  classes  will  be  so  small  that  less  time  is  needed 
than  is  here  assigned.  This  can  be  distributed  to  those  classes  which 
can  profitably  use  a  longer  recitation  period.  If  ninth  and  tenth 
years  are  taught  the  program  given  in  the  State  Course  of  Study  will 
be  helpful  in  arranging  the  schedule  of  recitation. 


DAILY  PROGRAM— ODD  NUMBERED  YEARS. 


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39 


THE  RECORD  OF  CLASSIFICATION. 

If  the  school  is  actually  organized  a  record  of  that  organization 
can  be  easily  made.  The  record  also  serves  a  good  purpose  in  this 
that  it  gives  the  teacher  a  clearer  idea  of  just  what  the  organization 
is.  There  are  two  forms  which  are  in  general  use  and  which  answer 
the  purpose  well.  If  the  record  is  complete  it  is  not  only  a  history 
of  what  has  been  done,  it  is  such  a  description  of  the  school  that  a 
new  teacher  can  take  up  the  work  where  it  left  off.  By  this  means 
a  school  once  started  does  not  end.  Vacations  come,  but  the  school 
still  exists  and  goes  on  without  interruption.  Our  government  does 
not  end  when  officers’  terms  expire,  nor  does  it  begin  again  when 
new  ones  come  in.  So  a  district  school  should  continue  as  an  insti¬ 
tution  even  when  it  is  not  in  session.  The  record  of  classification 
continues  the  organization  from  one  year  to  the  next. 

REGULAR  WITH  THE  COURSE. 

A  classified  one-room  school  has  this  advantage  over  a  graded 
school,  pupils  may  be  in  classes  in  different  grades  at  the  same  time. 
In  most  cases  it  is  best  if  the  pupil  can  be  regular,  yet  in  the  ex¬ 
ceptional  cases  he  would  better  be  in  some  studies  in  the  seventh  and 
eighth  grade  and  in  others  in  the  sixth.  In  a  one-room  school  the 
pupil  may  be  placed  in  classes  in  which  he  can  do  most  for  himself 
and  can  be  promoted  as  rapidly  as  he  is  able  to  do  the  advanced 
work. 


FORMAL  TESTS. 

Every  well  regulated  school  should  have  monthly  or  bi-monthly 
tests.  In  the  advanced  grades  they  should  be  written  and  in  the 
primary  oral.  The  purpose  is  two-fold.  The  pupil  may  know  defin¬ 
itely  his  mastery  or  lack  of  mastery  of  the  work  gone  over.  The 
teacher  may  learn  where  her  efforts  have  fallen  short.  A  failure 
means  either  that  the  work  has  not  been  well  done  by  the  pupil  or 
well  taught  by  the  teacher.  The  test  should  help  both  pupil  and 
teacher  to  remedy  defects  which,  if  not  rectified,  will  cause  trouble  or 
disaster  in  the  future. 

Too  often  the  test  is  used  only,  as  a  means  of  determining  the 
grades  of  the  pupil.  Not  grades  but  efficiency  in  the  work  should  be 
the  end  in  view.  The  pupil’s  papers  should  be  gone  over  by  the 
teacher,  the  errors  pointed  out,  and  the  papers  returned.  The  grades 
should  be  determined  after  the  correction  has  been  made.  If  the 
teacher  discovers  that  the  month’s  work  has  not  been  well  done  it 
should  be  reviewed  as  time  will  permit  while  the  next  month’s  work 
is  in  progress. 


FILING  PAPERS. 

When  the  papers  have  been  corrected  by  the  pupil  they  should  be 
filed,  each  child’s  separately,  for  future  reference.  Each  month  the 
papers  should  be  compared  to  note  improvements.  At  the  end  of  the 
year  the  papers  should  be  given  to  the  owners. 


40 


SCHOOL  WORK — SCHOLARSHIP. 

The  first  aim  of  the  school  is  to  give  proficiency  in  the  school  arts. 
The  child  should  learn  to  read,  to  write,  to  spell,  and  to  figure,  to 
speak  and  write  the  English  language  effectively,  and  to  secure  a  fair 
knowledge  of  the  world  in  which  he  lives  and  of  the  history  of  his 
country.  It  is  the  first  duty  of  the  teacher  to  see  that  these  things 
are  well  learned.  The  habits  of  continuous  application  and  accuracy 
formed  by  doing  this  work  well  will  be  quite  as  useful  as  will  be  the 
knowledge  gained.  This  hard  and  some  times  irksome  work  must 
be  done. or  the  school  is  not  the  greatest  success  possible. 

The  knowledge  and  the  skill  obtained  from  the  mastery  of  the 
school  subjects  constitute  the  elements  of  an  efficient  mental  equip¬ 
ment.  They  are  the  tools  with  which  the  pupil  can  work  out  a 
successful  career.  They  are,  however,  of  little  value  unless  a  good 
use  is  made  of  them  and  the  disposition  to  use  them  is  established. 

BROAD  INTERESTS, 

The  school  should  exert  a  strong  influence  in  creating  in  the  pupil 
a  good  point  of  view,  a  right  attitude  towards  life  and  its  work. 
Probably  the  strongest  influence  that  can  be  brought  to  bear  upon 
the  child  to  turn  his  thoughts  and  purposes  to  the  living  of  a  right 
life  is  found  in  the'  reading  of  good  books.  Through  reading  he 
becomes  interested  in  what  has  been  done  and  what  may  be  done  to 
make  life  better.  His  aspirations  are  awakened,  his  ambition 
aroused,  and  he  seeks  to  realize  in  his  own  life  work  and  conduct  the 
things  in  which  he  has  become  interested.  Good  books  become  his 
teachers  and  have  the  same  influence  upon  the  growth  of  his  char¬ 
acter  that  does  the  companionship  of  worthy  people.  To  supply  this  * 
need  the  Illinois  Pupils'  Reading  Circle  has  been  organized.  A 
small  library  of  books,  selected  from  its  list,  may  be  made  of  great 
benefit  to  the  children. 

THE  PUPILS’  READING  CIRCLE. 

F.  A.  Kendall,  Naperville,  Illinois,  is  the  manager  and  will  give 
promptly  any  information  desired. 

A  list  of  250  books  has  been  selected  from  which  a  choice  may  be 
made. 

Diplomas  are  granted  free  of  cost  for  the  reading  of  six  books. 

A  record  of  reading  is  furnished  which  goes  with  the  pupil  through 
every  grade  and  at  the  end  of  his  course  will  give  an  accurate  account 
of  his  reading  during  his  school  life. 

The  teacher  is  the  leader  of  the  Circle,  decides  when  a  book  has 
been  satisfactorily  read  and  makes  a  record  of  it  in  the  pupil's  book. 
The  county  superintendent  is  the  county  manager  and  grants  the 
diplomas  to  the  successful  readers. 

USE  OF  REFERENCE  BOOKS. 

If  the  children  have  access  to  their  text  books  only,  the  best  school 
work  is  hardly  possible.  A  reference  library  is  not  a  mere  conveni¬ 
ence,  it  is  an  essential. 


41 


There  should  be  readable  books  on  historical  topics.  Four  Great 
Pathfinders,  Story  of  the  Middle  Ages,  The  Story  of  Our  English 
Grandfathers,  Discovery  of  the  Old  Northwest,  Side  Lights  on 
American  History,  Pioneers  on  Land  and  Sea,  French  Pathfinders, 
Historic  Illinois,  Conquest  of  the  Old  Northwest,  Life  of  George 
Washington,  Twelve  Naval  Captains,  Hero  Tales  from  American 
History,  and  Builders  of  Our  Country  are  books  vhich  shed  far  more 
light  on  a  subject  in  which  the  pupils’  are  interested  than  does  the 
text  book.  The  study  of  history  will  be  more  attractive  and  useful 
to  the  pupil  if  he  reads  these  in  connection  with  his  history  lesson. 

In  geography  the  value  of  the  study  will  be  doubled  if  the  children 
read  freely  parts  of  the  following  books,  as  the  subjects  come  up  in 
their  text  books:  King’s  Picturesque  Geographical  Reader,  Seaside 
and  Wayside,  Carpenter's  North  America,  South  America,  Europe 
and  Asia,  Around  the  World  I,  II,  III.  An  enclyclopedia  like  The 
New  Practical  Reference  Library,  written  in  language  that  a  child 
can  comprehend,  can  be  made  most  useful  in  every  subject  by  requir¬ 
ing  the  pupils  to  consult  it  on  topics  to  be  treated  in  regular 
recitations. 


HOME  READING. 

Every  child  in  school  should  have  at  hand  at  all  times  a  book 
which  will  occupy  profitably  his  leisure  moments  at  home.  Biog¬ 
raphy,  books  of  travel,  wholesome  stories  of  life  in  different  countries 
nnd  in  different  ages,  historical  books  within  the  range  of  his  com¬ 
prehension  and  interest,  books  having  a  literary  and  ethical  value 
affect  him  for  good  as  nothing  else  can.  If  the  teacher  can  direct 
the  pupil’s  reading  she  doubles  her  value  as  a  teacher.  The  school 
library  and  the  Pupils'  Reading  Circle  afford  the  opportunity. 

THE  TEACHER’S  SCRAPBOOK, 

One  of  the  best  reference  libraries,  is  a  well  selected  teacher’s  scrap¬ 
book.  A  number  of  large  manila  envelopes  may  be  secured  and 
-labeled  with  the  subjects  which  they  contain.  An  index  may  be 
made  on  the  outside.  Newspaper  clippings,  magazine  articles  should 
be  diligently  collected.  In  one  envelope  may  be  placed  history,  and 
in  others  geography,  and  separate  envelopes  may  be  devoted  to  the 
important  countries,  also  separate  ones  to  different  periods  of  history. 
There  may  be  one  devoted  to  each  of  the  following:  Biography, 
United  States  Government,  Illinois  History,  Birds,  Insects,  Animals, 
Farming,  Gardening,  Poems,  Heroic  Deeds,  Memory  Gems.  At  the 
•opportune  time  the  proper  article  may  be  read  to  the  class  or  given 
to  a  pupil  to  read. 

The  teacher’s  copy  of  the  geography  can  be  utilized.  The  clippings 
can  be  fastened  with  a  bit  of  paste  to  the  page  where  the  subject  is 
brought  up.  It  can  be  readily  detached,  given  to  a  pupil  and  re¬ 
placed  when  he  returns  it. 

The  teacher  should  have  one  envelope  for  her  own  use  for  clippings 
from  educational  papers  which  she  would  like  to  refer  to  in  the  future. 


AGRICULTURE  AND  HAND  WORK. 

% 

Another  device  for  creating  an  interest  in  right  things  and  securing 
the  child’s  application  to  their  accomplishment  is  the  study  and 
practice  of  elementary  agriculture  and  the  use  of  tools.  The  child 
sets  up  an  aim,  and  uses  his  energy,  knowledge,  and  skill  in  reaching 
that  aim.  If  this  is  kept  up  until  he  takes  pleasure  in  it  and  it 
becomes  habitual,  right  character  begins  to  form.  The  complaint  is 
made  that  the  course  of  study  is  already  too  full  and  there  is  not 
time  for  the  reading  of  books,  the  study  of  agriculture,  and  hand 
work.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  these  are  side  issues.  The 
regular  work  of  the  school  is  the  main  thing.  These  things  are  done 
at  opportune  times.  The  teacher  who  sees  their  value  will  find  the 
time  and  at  the  same  time  not  neglect  the  fundamental  work, of  the 
school. 

COLLECTION  OF  MATERIAL. 

The  Deparment  of  Public  Instruction,  the  Agricultural  College  of 
the. State  University  and  the  Department  of  Agriculture  at  Wash¬ 
ington,  D.  C.,  can  supply  the  teachers  with  printed  matter  which 
will  aid  him  in  the  presentation  of  the  subject  of  agriculture  and 
nature  study.  But  a  collection  of  material  by  the  pupils  and  teacher 
in  the  neighberhood  will  add  much  to  the  interest.  Seeds  of  all 
kinds  may  be  gathered  and  preserved  in  small  vials,  collections  of 
every  kind  of  wood,  collections  of  insects,  plants  and  flowers  may  be 
pressed.  Interesting  objects  as  bird  nests,  bumble  bees  nests, 
butterfly  and  moth  cocoons,  best  heads  of  wheat,  oats,  rye  and  barley, 
best  ears  of  corn,  may  be  kept  in  a  tin  bos  for  study.  Specimens  of 
bark  and  pressed  leaves  may  be  collected  when  learning  to  disting¬ 
uish  trees. 


A  COLLECTION  OF  PICTURES. 

A  collection  of  pictures  can  be  made  very  useful  in  teaching.  Copies 
of  masterpieces  can  be  secured  from  one  to  ten  cents  each,  which  will 
make  good  material  for  language  lessons  as  well  as  for  picture  study. 
Diagrams  and  maps  may  be  collected  which  will  help  in  the  study 
of  history.  Pictures  of  flowers  and  birds  are  useful  in  nature  study. 

One  of  the  most  useful  pieces  of  apparatus  is  the  stereoptican 
with  geographical  views.  This,  the  scrapbook  and  the  collection  of 
pictures  are  the  teacher's  personal  property,  and  with  his  books,  form 
the  tools  with  which  he  works. 

The  Teacher  and  His  Work. 

The  things  touched  upon  thus  far  are  aids  to  a  good  school,  yet 
they  are  only  aids.  They  do  not  make  a  good  school.  After  all  the 
teacher  is  the  determining  factor.  There  cannot  be  a  good  school 
with  a  poor  teacher.  There  may  be  a  good  school  with  few  of  the 
aids,  yet  with  them  a  good  teacher  will  have  a  better  school  and  a 
poor  teacher  wflll  have  one  not  quite  so  poor. 


43 


SCHOLARSHIP. 

One  cannot  teach  what  he  does  not  know.  One  cannot  teach  well 
what  he  knows  imperfectly.  First  of  all,  then,  the  teacher  should 
know  the  subjects  to  be  taught,  ought  to  know  much  more  about 
them  than  is  to  be  taught  to  children.  She  must  know  much  more 
than  the  school  subjects.  Her  purpose  is  to  lead  them  into  an  effi¬ 
cient  life,  hence  she  should  have  that  degree  of  knowledge  of  life  that 
will  enable  her  to  lead  the  way.  A  girl  with  the  degree  of  culture 
found  in,  a  household  servant,  who  has  learned  to  read,  write,  and 
figure,  is  hardly  equipped  to  be  a  teacher  of  children,  even  though 
she  can  do  these  things  very  well. 

A  knowledge  of  life  is  obtained  by  association  with  people  who  live 
on  a  high  plain  or  from  assimilation  of  literature  which  is  the  re¬ 
corded  life  of  the  greatest  and  best.  The  high  school  is  supposed  to 
give  the  pupil  that  higher  degree  of  culture.  The  least  then  that  can 
be  thought  adequate  for  the  teacher's  scholarship  is  the  equivalent  of 
a  high  school  education. 

INTEREST  IN  CHILDREN. 

A  genuine  interest  in  the  lives  of  children  is  quite  as  essential  as 
scholarship.  The  teacher  should  find  her  greatest  delight  in  seeing 
the  children  improve  in  power  and  in  character.  The  spirit  of  help¬ 
fulness  which  such  an  interest  brings  is  one  of  the  characteristics  of 
a  superior  teacher,  It  causes  her  to  be  ever  on  the  alert  to  detect  the 
child’s  needs  and  to  supply  them. 

NATURALNESS. 

This  interest  in  children  causes  the  teacher  to  be  natural  and 
genuine  in  her  work  with  them.  It  drives  out  the  stilted  manner, 
attitude  and  voice  that  is  so  prevalent  with  those  who  assume  that 
they  occupy  the  platform  as  teachers,  while  the  children  are  inferiors 
who  must  be  made  to  do  their  duty. 

The  real  teacher  is  not  stilted,  but  treats  the  children  naturally, 
kindly,  and  helpfully,  her  voice  and  manner  expressing  unmistakably 
that  she  is  living  with  them  and  working  with  and  for  them.  She 
secures  the  co-operation  of  the  children  and  makes  a  show  of  auth¬ 
ority  in  manner,  or  word  only  in  extreme  and  infrequent  cases. 

CONTROL. 

The  power  to  control  others  easily  is  a  gift  of  nature,  yet  it  may 
be  improved  by  observing  a  few  essentials.  A  sympathetic  knowl¬ 
edge  of  child  nature  and  the  disposition  to  be  of  service  wins  the 
child’s  confidence.  Ability  to  do  without  faltering  what  needs  to  be 
done  at  once  wins  the  child’s  respect.  Arousing  his  interest  in  the 
work  to  be  done  secures  his  co-operation. 

The  power  to  keep  the  child  at  profitable  work  without  relapses 
into  aimlessness  or  idleness  makes  constant  attention  to  discipline  un¬ 
necessary.  The  school  that  needs  constant  effort  to  control  is  in  a 


44 


diseased  condition.  Real  control  can  be  established  only  by  getting 
all  into  right  relations  with  the  school,  so  that  work  fully  occupies 
all.  It  may  be  necessary  to  stop  all  attemps  at  school 'work  until  the 
disease  is  cured.  But  if  the  whole  time  has  to  be  given  to  this  the 
school  is  a  failure.  The  teacher’s  care  should  be  to  establish  a  con¬ 
dition  of  health,  and  to  enjoy  the  fruits  thereof,  co-operation  of  all 
concerned  in  securing  the  realization  of  the  purposes  of  the  school. 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS  ON  CONTROL. 

In  fudging  a  teacher’s  power  and  skill  in  control  these  points 
should  be  looked  for: 

Has  he  the  right  and  definite  ideal  of  what  school  order  ought  to 
be  or  does  anything  short  of  anarchy  satisfy  him? 

Has  he  self-control  or  is  he  erratic,  spasmodic,  unsteady,  floundering? 

Does  his  manner  indicate  that  he  expects  attention  and  industry  or 
does  it  invite  inattention  and  disobedience? 

Does  he  say  what  ought  to  be  said  and  stop  or  does  he  talk  too 
much? 

Does  he  speak  with  a  kind,  well  modulated,  yet  firm  voice,  or  does 
he  whine,  scold  and  nag? 

Is  he  respectful  and  considerate  of  the  pupils’  rights,  or  is  he  self- 
centered  and  arbitrary? 

Does  he  secure  immediate  obedience  or  does  he  falter  and  delay 
until  a  show  of  temper  is  necessary? 

Is  he  punctual  in  calling  and  dismissing  classes,  or  by  uncertainty 
and  irregularity  does  he  interfere  with  the  regular  work  of  the  school? 

Does  he  keep  the  recitation  moving  and  the  children  at  work  or 
does  he  aimlessly  hear  recitations,  failing  to  interest  the  pupils? 

Does  he  see  and  hear  what  is  going  on  or  is  he  unconscious  of 
idleness  or  mischief? 

Do  the  pupils  have  confidence  in  what  he  says  or  do  they  act  as  if 
they  knew  that  punishment  would  not  follow  transgression? 

Is  lack  of  control  due  to  the  teacher  or,  to  the  conditions  which 
make  it  difficult,  as  lack  of  scholastic  qualification  of  the  teacher, 
lack  of  authority,  lack  of  co-operation  of  parents,  unattractive  school 
room,  uncomfortable  seats,  bad  heating  and  ventilation? 

THE  LESSON, 

In  -the  assignment,  preparation,  recitation,  and  application  of  the 
lesson  is  where  the  teacher’s  and  pupils"  minds  meet  to  the  end  that 
the  pupil  may  be  benefited.  The  lesson  is  the  center  of  activity. 
All  the  work  of  the  school  is  focused  here. 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS  ON  THE  ASSIGNMENT. 

Is  the  teacher’s  knowledge  so  fresh  and  complete  that  he  can  tell 
the  pupil  clearly  just  what  he  is  to  do,  or  does  he  say  “take  the  next 
lesson”  or  “the  next  page”? 

Does  he  use  good  judgment  in  assigning  a  lesson  that  can  be 
learned  in  the  allotted  time  or  does  he  simply  guess  at  it? 


45 


Does  he  give  the  preliminary  drill  required  for  the  pupil  to  suc¬ 
cessfully  prepare  his  lesson,  or  does  he  not  know  that  such  is  neces¬ 
sary  ? 

If  the  topical  method  of  assignment  is  used  are  the  topics  such  as 
will  cause  the  pupil  to  think  and  to  master  the  lesson  or  are  they 
aimless? 

Are  reference  books  called  into  use? 

PREPARATION  OF  THE  LESSON. 

It  is  quite  as  necessary  for  the  teacher  to  prepare  the  lesson  as  it 
is  for  the  pupil  to  do  so.  The  teacher  prepares  it  before  the  assign¬ 
ment,  the  pupil  afterward. 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS  ON  THE  PREPERATION. 

In  oral  instruction  has  the  teacher  prepared  the  lesson  so  that  he 
can  teach  it  effectively,  or  does  he  just  talk  disconnectedly  about  the 
point  of  the  lesson  ? 

Does  the  pupil  simply  memorize  the  text  or  does  he  comprehend 
and  assimilate  the  points  of  the  lesson? 

Does  the  teacher  give  pupils  instruction  in  howT  to  study  the 
lesson  ? 

Does  he  see  to  it  that  the  pupil  uses  the  allotted  time  to  prepare 
the  lesson,  or  does  he  allow  the  pupil  to  do  as  he  pleases? 

I 

THE  RECITATION. 

In  the  recitation  the  teacher  must  test  the  pupil's  mastery  of  the 
lesson,  instruct  and  drill  him  where  the  same  is  necessary.  The 
pupil  must  reproduce  the  several  points  of  the  lesson  in  his  own 
language  and  show  that  he  has  acquired  and  assimilated  them.  He 
utilizes  the  instruction  given  and  engages  in  the  necessary  drills  to 
master  that  in  which  he  is  found  deficient.  What  was  imperfectly 
understood  now  becomes  clear,  what  was  unrelated  and  without 
interest  is  now  seen  to  have  deep  significance.  The  pupil  should 
make  a  distinct  advance  and  be  prepared  to  take  the  next  step.  , 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS  ON  THE  RECITATION. 

Do  the  teacher’s  questions  appeal  merely  to  the  pupil's  memory 
or  do  they  bring  out  assimilated  knowledge? 

Does  the  pupil  answer  what  he  knows  or  does  he  guess? 

Does  he  know  whether  the  pupil’s  answer  is  adequate  or  is  he 
satisfied  with  a  reply  that  may  only  hint  at  the  answer? 

Do  the  questions  reveal  to  the  pupil  what  he  does  not  know  and 
why  he  does  not  know  it? 

Does  he  take  the  step  necessary  to  get  the  pupil  to  remedy  the 
defect  ? 

Do  his  questions  and  manner  invite  the  pupils'  interest  and  con¬ 
fidence  so  that  they  ask  questions  for  information  or  do  they  cause 
them  to  conceal  their  ignorance? 


40 


Is  the  marking  system  so  used  that  it  encourages  the  pupils  to 
deceive  the  teacher  as  to  their  ignorance? 

Does  he  stimulate  to  the  best  effort  or  does  he  paralyze? 

Has  he  skill  in  discovering  what  the  pupil  does  hot  know  and  why 
he  does  not  know  it? 

Does  he  give  the  pupil  a  fair  chance  to  recite  or  does  he  interrupt 
before  the  pupil  has  finished? 

Does  he  repeat  the  pupil’s  answer? 

Do  his  questions  suggest  the  answer  and  can  they  be  answered  by 
yes  or  no? 

Does  he  require  the  pupil  to  recite  or  does  he  do  it  himself? 

Is  the  recitation  a  conversation  between  teacher  and  pupil  or  a 
stilted  performance  of  command  and  obey? 

Is  the  lesson  clearly  related  to  what  preceded  and  what  follows? 

Is  the  pupil  made  to  talk  to  the  point  or  is  he  allowed  to  drivel? 

Does  the  recitation  strengthen  the  desire  for  accuracy,  truthfulness, 
masterfulness,  honesty,  and  uprightness? 

Are  the  recitations  both  oral  and  written? 

Does  the  recitation  begin  at  once  or  is  time  wasted  by  irrelevant 
talk  or  delay? 

Is  the  time  wasted  in  having  pupils  work  problems  at  the  board 
which  are  already  well  understood  and  have  been  mastered  or  is  the 
time  utilized  in  instruction  and  by  drilling  on  work  not  mastered  ? 

Does  the  teacher  know  wdien  the  point  is  or  is  not  stated  or  does 
any  sort  of  talk  on  the  pupil’s  part  satisfy  him?  , 

Does  the  recitation  awaken  or  kill  interest? 

Does  the  teacher  try  to  secure  attention  by  making  the  instruction 
interesting  or  by  commanding  the  pupil  to  attend? 

Does  he  teach  without  the  open  text  book  or  must  he  depend  on  it 
to  supply  the  questions  and  to  determine  whether  the  pupil  is  right? 

Do  the  whole  class  and  teacher  attend  to  the  recitation  of  each 
pupil  or  does  it  concern  only  the  one  reciting? 

Does  one  talk  at  a  time  or  do  all  talk  at  once? 

Are  questions  asked  and  then  a  pupil  called  upon  or  the  reverse? 

Are  the  pupils  encouraged  to  express  their  opinions  or  are  they 
ridiculed  for  so  doing? 

Are  the  pupils  led  or  driven  in  the  recitation? 

APPLICATION  OF  THE  LESSON. 

The  greatest  value  of  knowledge  and  skill  arises  from  the  use  to 
w’hich  they  are  put.  The  application  of  knowledge  is  also  a  strong 
factor  in  making  it  permanent.  If  no  use  is  made  of  it  what  is 
learned  is  soon  forgotten,  The  child  learns  to  read  easy  exercises. 
As  he  advances  he  is  given  more  difficult  exercises.  He  may  finish 
his  school  course  and  have  spent  his  time  in  the  performance  of  ex¬ 
ercises.  Never  having  been  called  upon  to  make  use  of  his  art  he 
discontinues  reading  when  the  necessity  for  performing  has  ceased. 

As  soon  as  he  can  read  a  little  he  should  be  trained  to  use  his 
power  in  satisfying  a  felt  need,  to  read  interesting  stories  and  to  get 
information  out  of  other  than  his  text  books. 


47 


As  soon  as  he  can  handle  numbers  he  should  be  called  on  to  use 
them.  In  his  paper  folding,  drawing  and  construction  work  he 
needs  to  make  measurements  and  computations.  When  he  has 
learned  a  part  of  the  multiplication  table  real  problems  may  be  made 
to  arise  in  which  his  knowledge  may  help  him  to  arrive  at  results 
quickly.  The  text  book  problems  are  exercises  upon  which  the 
pupil  is  drilled,  but  the  best  teaching  takes  place  when  he  is  led  to 
find  problems  of  his  own  which  he  must  solve. 

Language  and  grammar  are  the  most  difficult  subjects  in  which  to 
interest  pupils.  They  have  no  desire  to  speak  correctly.  Incorrect 
speech  is  so  prevalent  in  the  home  and  on  the  play  ground  that  one 
who  speaks  correctly  is  odd  and  is  laughed  at.  It  is  easier  to  arouse 
a  desire  to  write  correctly,  for  all  that  is  read  is  in  correct  form. 

Geography,  history,  and  physiology,  are  usually  of  less  interest 
than  reading  and  arithmetic  because  the  child  feels  that  he  has  no 
use  for  them  and  never  will  have.  The  teacher’s  task  is  to  devise 
means  to  make  them  of  use  to  the  pupil  now,  and  to  get  him  to  see 
that  they  will  be  of  use  to  him  in  the  work  of  life. 

PROFESSIONAL  STUDY. 

The  successful  practice  of  the  art  of  teaching  requires  thought  and 
study.  Necessity  requires  most  teachers  to  engage  in  it  without 
previous  preparation.  They  must  depend  upon  memory  and  the 
power  to  imitate. 

If  the  teacher  will  study  the  State  Course  of  Study  until  he  has  a 
clear  idea  of  its  provisions  he  will  have  gained  much  toward  a  better 
idea  of  organization  and  method.  If  he  will  then  secure  such  books 
as  White’s  School  Management  and  his  Art  of  Teaching,  Roark’s 
Method  in  Education,  Hindale’s  Art  of  Study,  and  study  them  daily 
with  a  view  to  solving  the  problems  which  confront  him  in  the  school 
room,  he  will  make  rapid  progress  in  the  art  of  teaching. 

There  are  numerous  school  journals,  most  of  which  contain  matter 
directly  to  the  point.  The  one-room  school  teacher  should  take  at 
least  one  journal  that  selects  its  articles  with  a  view  of  helping  the 
work  of  the  month  as  outlined  in  the  State  Course  of  Study.  The 
School  News  is  very  helpful  along  these  lines.  Most  of  the  county 
superintendents  require  the  reading  of  one  journal  and  the  study  of 
the  books  selected  by  the  State  Teachers’  Reading  Circle  Board. 

results.  . 

The  final  test  of  the  school  is  the  results.  The  immediate  aim  is 
scholarship  and  skill  in  the  field  covered  by  the  school  course.  The 
final  aim  is  capable  and  useful  men  and  women. 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS  ON  RESULTS. 

Do  the  older  pupils  show  genuine  interest  in  their  school  work? 

Do  they  do  the  work  well? 

Are  they  eager  to  learn? 


48 


Are  they  respectful  and  considerate  of  others,  or  are  they  rude  and 
disposed  to  annoy? 

Are  they  disposed  to  be  helpful? 

Are  they  eager  for  self-improvement? 

Are  they  truthful,  straight-forward,  or  are  they  inclined  to  de¬ 
ception  ? 

Do  they  seem  to  be  headed  for  an  honest  and  useful  career? 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS  ON  THE  TEACHER  AND  HIS  WORK. 

What  has  been  the  teacher's  scholastic  and  professional  train¬ 
ing?  43. 

Is  he  neat  in  his  attire? 

Are  his  deportment  and  manners  good? 

Is  he  really  interested  in  his  work? 

Is  he  optimistic  or  does  he  spend  his  time  in  finding  fault? 

Does  he  control  the  school?  43. 

Is  he  progressive,  trying  to  do  better  today  than  yesterday? 

Does  he  make  a  stuty  of  his  profession?  47. 

Does  he  handle  the  lessons  as  suggested  on  page  44? 

Do  the  results  measure  up  to  the  standard  set  on  page  47  ? 

VISITING  THE  ONE-ROOM  SCHOOLS. 

In  this  pamphlet  the  attempt  has  been  made  to  set  forth  the 
essentials  of  a  standard  one-room  school.  If  this  attempt  has  been 
successful  a  teacher  or  a  county  superintendent  should  be  able  to 
compare  a  school  wTith  this  standard  and  determine  wherein  it  does 
or  does  not  measure  up  to  it. 

The  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  wishes  to  be  as  helpful 
as  possible  to  these  schools.  To  this  end  he  will  have  one  of  his 
assistants,  the  supervisor  of  county  schools,  devote  all  his  time  in  co¬ 
operating  with  county  superintendents,  school  officers  and  teachers 
to  bring  as  many  of  these  schools  as  possible  up  to  this  standard. 

Upon  the  invitation  of  the  county  superintendent  this  assistant 
will  visit  such  schools  as  the  county  superintendent  may  desire  to 
have  inspected.  If  the  school  is  found  to  meet  the  requirements,  a 
diploma  will  be  granted  to  the  school  as  a  testimonial  of  the  fact. 
If  it  fails  to  meet  the  requirements,  the  shortcomings  will  be  pointed 
out  to  the  school  officers,  and  upon  the  testimony  of  the  county 
superintendent  that  the  deficiencies  have  been  made  good,  the 
diploma  will  be  issued. 

The  supervisor  of  country  schools  will  spend  as  much  time  in  each 
county  as  is  necessary  and  if  he  is  unable  to  visit  all  the  counties, 
any  county  superintendent  is  authorized  to  make  a  report  of  the 
schools  in  his  county  which  meet  the  requirements  to  be  listed  as 
standard  schools.  A  detailed  record  of  each  school  inspected  will  be 
kept.  Photographs  of  things  of  interest  will  be  taken.  Every  month 
a  list  of  schools  which  have  received  diplomas  will  be  published  in 
the  Educational  Press  Bulletin.  At  the  close  of  the  year  a  pamphlet 
will  be  issued  showing  what  has  been  accomplished  by  teachers  and 
county  superintendents  in  bringing  about  better  school  conditions 


49 


c 

for  the  country  children.  On  these  visits  the  supervisor  will  be  glad 
to  address  township  and  county  meetings  of  school  officers  and 
teachers  on  the  subject  of  country  school  improvements. 

The  Standard  One-Room  School  and  the  Diploma. 

To  receive  the  diploma  the  school  must  meet  the  requirements  on 
the  following  points: 


GROUNDS. 

( The  figures  after  the  questions  refer  to  the  pages  in  this  pamphlet 
ivhere  the  questions  are  discussed.) 

Are  there  shade  trees  and  shrubbery?  32. 

Is  there  ample  play  ground?  32. 

Is  the  yard  properly  fenced  and  kept?  32. 

Is  there  a  sufficient  supply  of  good  pure  drinking  water? 

Are  there  two  out-houses  and  are  they  widely  separated?  32. 

Are  the  out-houses  so  constructed  and  kept  as  to  promote  de¬ 
cency?  32. 

Is  the  fuel  house  convenient  and  in  good  condition?  32. 

SCHOOL  HOUSE 

Is  it  painted  and  in  good  repair? 

It  it  well  lighted,  well  heated  and  welL ventilated?  7-11. 

Are  the  walls  decorated? 

Has  it  ample  black-board  suitably  placed?  2b. 

FURNISHINGS  AND  SUPPLIES. 

Are  desks  adjusted  to  the  children  and  properly  placed?  7-11. 

Is  the  teacher  supplied  with  a  good  desk  and  two  chairs? 

Are  the  apparatus  and  supplies  sufficient  and  well  cared  for?  26. 
Is  there  a  well  selected  collection  of  books  kept  in  a  good  case?  28. 
Are  the  wall  pictures  well  selected? 

ORGANIZATION. 

Is  the  classification  register  well  kept?  28. 

Is  a  copy  of  the  classification  record  sent  to  the  county  superin¬ 
tendent?  39. 

Is  alternation  practiced  and  are  classes  reduced  in  numbers  so  that 
all  receive  adequate  time?  33. 

Is  there  a  definite  program  of  study  and  another  of  recitation? 
35-38. 

Do  pupils  study  their  lessons  at  the  time  assigned?  35-38. 

Are  formal  tests  given?  39. 

Are  final  tests  given? 

Do  pupils  receive  diplomas  or  certificates  of  promotion? 

Are  papers  properly  utilized  and  kept  on  file? 


50 


Is  the  reference  library  used  effectively?  40. 

Is  there  a  circulating  library  and  is  the  home  reading  properly 
directed?  41. 

Is  proper  interest  taken  in  industrial  training?  42. 

Is  the  attendance  regular? 

Is  the  school  in  session  at  least  seven  months  in  the  year? 

THE  TEACHER. 

Does  the  teacher  receive  a  salary  of  at  least  forty  dollars  per 
month? 

What  preparation  has  the  teacher  made  for  his  work? 

Does  he  attend  the  institute  and  association  meetings? 

Does  he  read  the  books  of  the  Illinois  State  Teachers  Reading 
Circle? 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 
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